The Writer's Guide Fall 2016 by The Writer's Center

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THE WRITERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S GUIDE

POET & ARTIST RACHEL ELIZA GRIFFITHS PG

WHAT DO AGENTS WANT? PG

EVENTS PG

WORKSHOPS PG

BOOK TALK PG

Fall 2016

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The first annual DC Literary Pub Crawl takes our program beyond the walls of The Writer’s Center and features talent from across the region. 4–5 p.m.: Walters Sports Bar Readers: Thea Brown, Rion Amilcar Scott, Oliver Bendorf 5–6 p.m.: The Twisted Horn Readers: Regie Cabico, Amber Sparks, Tafisha A. Edwards 6–7 p.m.: Upshur Street Books Readers: Ross White, Tolonda Henderson, Kyle Dargan 7 p.m.: After party at Pet Worth Citizen Tickets are available through EventBrite: $10 in advance; $15 on the day of the event. Admission to all three venues along with drink specials is included in the ticket price.

For more info, email kristen.zory.king@writer.org

The Writer’s Center The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

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DEPARTMENTS DIRECTOR’S NOTE 5 EVENTS 12

WORKSHOPS: Schedule 21 Descriptions 25

Editor

Vanessa Mallory Kotz

INSTRUCTOR BIOS 34

vanessa.mallorykotz@writer.org

BOOK TALK 41

Contributors

Billy Ávila Jennifer Cate Mia R. Cortez Jessica Flores Gina Hagler Sarah Katz Kristen Zory King Louis Mateus Julianne Rush-Manchester Emanuela Ruíz Jinsong Wang

ON THE SCENE 44 REGISTRATION 47

FEATURES 6 What Do Agents Want? Mia R. Cortez bravely tackles the chore of answering this baffling dilemma.

8 No Boundaries

Graphic Design

Virtually Detailed, Inc.

Rachel Eliza Griffiths explores the politics of Black bodies through photography and poetry.

Copyeditors

Laura Spencer Ellyn Wexler

15 From the Workshops Two personal narratives explore tragedy, while a poem and children’s book illustration offer a little whimsy.

Interns

Mairin Rivett Laura Thompson Cover Image

38 Write Who You Are After our second year of leading this program for English language learners, we have a lot to celebrate!

Self-portrait of Rachel Eliza Griffiths Contact Us

4508 Walsh Street Bethesda, MD 20815 301-654-8664 (p) 240-223-0458 (f) Writer.org

Participants in the Write Who You Are program gather for a book launch and reading of their work; photo by Erica Sanchez.

The Writer’s Center

cultivates the creation, publication, presentation and dissemination of literary work. We are an independent literary organization with a global reach, rooted in a dynamic community of writers. As one of the premier centers of its kind in the country, we believe the craft of writing is open to people of all backgrounds and ages. Writing is interdisciplinary and unique among the arts for its ability to touch on all aspects of the human experience. It enriches our lives and opens doors to knowledge and understanding. The Writer’s Center is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible. A copy of our current financial statement is available upon request. Contact The Writer’s Center at 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD 20815. Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Office of the Secretary of State for the cost of copying and postage. The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

ABOUT US

The Writer’s Center

Other Locations Annapolis Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts 801 Chase Street Annapolis, MD 21404 marylandhall.org

Capitol Hill The Hill Center 921 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Washington, DC 20003 hillcenterdc.org

Glen Echo Glen Echo Park 7300 MacArthur Blvd. Glen Echo, MD 20812 glenechopark.org

Executive Director

Marketing & Communications Manager

Joe Callahan

Vanessa Mallory Kotz

Assistant Director

Managing Editor of Poet Lore

Sunil Freeman

Ellie Tipton

Program Manager

Office Manager

Laura Spencer

Judson Battaglia

Development & Membership Manager

Community Relations Assistant

James Ebersole

Kristen Zory King

Board of Directors Leesburg

Chair: Sally Mott Freeman

Leesburg Town Hall 25 West Market Street Leesburg, VA 20176 leesburgva.com

Treasurer: Margaret Meleney

Vice Chair: Mier Wolf Secretary: Patricia Harris

Chair Emeritus: James T. Mathews Ken Ackerman • Margot Backas • Linna Barnes • Naomi F. Collins Mark Cymrot • Les Hatley • John M. Hill Jeff Kosseff • Howard Lavine • Jim McAndrew Ann McLaughlin • Joram Piatigorsky

Poet Lore is the oldest continuously published poetry journal in the United States. We publish it semi-annually, and submissions are accepted year-round. Subscription and submission information is available at poetlore.com.

Bill Reynolds • Wilson W. Wyatt, Jr.

Honorary Board Kate Blackwell • Tim Crawford • Dana Gioia • Jim & Kate Lehrer Alice McDermott • Ellen McLaughlin • E. Ethelbert Miller • Howard Norman

Supported in part by:

Book Gallery TWC’s book gallery carries an extensive collection of literary magazines and books on craft. 4508 Walsh Street Bethesda, MD 20815

The Writer’s Center also gratefully acknowledges the support we receive from: The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, The Tau Foundation, The Omega Foundation, The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, and The Bydale Foundation.

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DIRECTOR’S NOTE How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour and with that one, is what we are doing. — Annie Dillard, The Writing Life

Photo by Mignonette Dooley

ince 1976, The Writer’s Center has been a hub of creativity and literary activity—from hosting writing workshops to author readings, from providing a meeting place for individuals in the literary world to publishing Poet Lore, America’s oldest continuously run poetry magazine.

nected network, encouraging one another, celebrating emerging talent, and contributing to organizations that do this important work. By being a member of, taking classes with, attending readings at, or donating to The Writer’s Center you are actively engaged in being a literary citizen, and we hope that as we wrap up our 40th anniversary year, you will deepen your relationship with the Center. Here are some ways you can contribute:

For the last 40 years, we have helped writers at all levels navigate their way through the changing literary landscape. Technology and the way writing is published and distributed today present a whole new world of opportunities and challenges, and we are here to guide you. As writers, we can no longer operate on islands, practicing our craft in complete solitude. We must be part of a much larger intercon-

Join the Board of Directors: The Writer’s Center is looking to add new members to the Board of Directors. If you are interested in helping support the long-term sustainability of the Center by stewarding the organization’s resources and setting the strategic vision for the organization, we would love to hear from you.

will consider demonstrating your long-term support by joining at this level. Make a 40th Anniversary Gift: In celebration of our 40th Anniversary, make a special gift to The Writer’s Center. These gifts will help us continue to offer our programming, build our organizational capacity, and help support our upcoming renovations. As Annie Dillard said, we are what we spend our lives doing. By becoming a greater part of the fabric of The Writer’s Center and contributing to the legacy of this very special place, you will ensure that we will be able to continue to help writers hone their skills, publish their work, and guarantee the success and vibrancy of the literary arts well into the future. Joe Callahan Executive Director

Become a Sustaining Member: In April, we launched a five-year membership level. We hope you

Interested in Joining The Writer’s Center Board of Directors?

To make a donation or become a Sustaining Member:

Send a résumé and letter of interest to:

Visit: www.writer.org

Joe Callahan Executive Director The Writer’s Center 4508 Walsh Street Bethesda, MD 20815

or Call: 301.654.8664

Joe.Callahan@writer.org The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

What Do Agents Want? Getting into the Mind of a Literary Agent By Mía R. Cortez

s writers, we try not to overthink and second-guess everything we put on the page, but when that page is a query letter destined for an agent’s inbox, clarity—and sanity—can be elusive. We also tend to see agents as larger-than-life characters, gatekeepers to manuscript utopia, limbo, or worse. In the utopia of my imagination, works get passed down the line to the powers that be, savored like wine at the last supper, stamped with approval, and sent up the glass staircase to the guys with the golden presses. There are no rejections in manuscript utopia. I’ll spare you my darker deliriums. As a burgeoning book publicist, I’m working with an author who has a promising manuscript. I’ve discovered, after four months of research, that while print and online sources are valuable, there’s nothing like a vis-a-vis with an agent for an honest opinion and professional feedback. I had one-on-one time with several agents on four different occasions: The Writer’s Center Publish Now seminar and Meet an Agent workshop, the Washington Writers Conference, and the New York City Publishing & Creativity Conference for Writers. I listened,

asked a lot of questions, took a ton of notes, sped through five-minute pitch sessions, and ultimately figured out what agents want. As it turns out, there’s no utopia, just bland editorial boardrooms. Agents are mere mortals, and like us, they are always willing to be tempted by a good story. Wishing to remain anonymous, the agents I spoke with shared their secrets to getting attention for your book. Whether you have five or 15 minutes with an agent, know this: they take notice when your passion, determination, and confidence are palpable. They ask questions when you have a really good hook. They get excited when you talk about your audience. But, as you pitch, they also flip through a Rolodex in their head filled with “reasons to say no,” which is how one editorial director in New York described her process. The bad news is that they very often pull one of those rejection cards. With sweaty palms, you’ll

Here are a few thin gs make agents’ mouth that s water:

Stories that are “sexy ” an d intelligently written Fascinating female charac ters Characters p ushing boun daries Curious peo ple exploring new worlds Young autho rs o on cultural to pening dialogue pics Fresh takes on trending topics and cu rrent affairs

hear “it won’t sell,” or “you’re under-qualified,” or “it’s not ready.” In other words, they don’t want to see it. If that happens, they suggest you ask for feedback and work on fixing it so that someday they will. The good news is that agents are passionate creatives, too.

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Hand them a menáge-a-trois of excellent writing, a hot topic, and a solid plan, and they will say, “Send it!” But before you click send, make sure it’s perfect. If in person they want to see your story dancing in your eyes and rolling off your tongue, on paper, they expect it to jump off the page and sing. Yes, it has to be that good. So, how does one achieve such brilliance? “It’s not easy,” said at least one agent at every single conference I attended. Writing a pitch, a synopsis, a premise, a proposal— it’s all really, really, hard. Seek help, they said. Run it by many people. They would know. Their job is to turn around and pitch it to editors, who in turn pitch it to publishers. Getting it to an agent is only the beginning. It’s easy to become disheartened, but the industry is in good shape. Books are still flying off shelves, readers are welcoming undiscovered voices, and agents are always looking for new material. So how do you give them what they want? First, get to know the agent on paper. Research the titles they have represented. Some of them should be similar to yours. When they clearly state what they are looking for, be sure that’s what you have. Then, grab their attention immediately. Pull them into your story, but be clear, not muddy. And don’t give away the ending. Then, throw in some numbers. Who will buy your book? Narrow in on

your audience. Do you know them well? Do they know you? Show you’ve done the market research. Your topic might be hot, but why will it sell? Above all, you must blow them away with your prose. A strong, fresh voice is the golden ticket. Ultimately, and I heard this over and over again, the writing is what sells. As for me, I was pretty sure I knew which rejection card their inner Rolodex would land on when I approached five different agents and an editorial director with an idea I have brewing. To my surprise, my one-breath pitch worked. One agent, who I’d researched extensively, said, “I have to see this!” Reactions were positive

across the board for the author I am working with, too. So, you see, everything is possible. If you have a story burning inside you, a strong writing voice, and a good grasp on your audience, I suggest you buy yourself some time with a literary agent. Put in the work ahead of time so that you can sit right down and grab them. I did, and it was worth every nerve-wracking minute. Have more questions? Register for Eva Langston’s Landing an Agent workshop, starting Nov 7. Mía R. Cortez is a freelance book publicist, journalist, and former marketing and publications manager at The Writer’s Center. Contact her at newvoices@miarcortez.com.

Faux-pas & Must-haves If you don’t have a platform, get one, and start engaging with your audience.

25,000 is the minimum number of followers you should have on Facebook for it to be worth mentioning.

If writing nonfiction, demonstrate your credentials.  Be aware: It’s really hard to sell a memoir unless you’re a celebrity.

 Don’t send anything without a proposal and sample chapters. Go into detail and be consistent in telling who your readers are.  Don’t ever send a rough draft. Ever. The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

Getting Personal and Political with Rachel Eliza Griffiths By Sarah Katz

Rachel Eliza Griffiths returns to her birthplace, Washington, D.C., to give a reading at The Writer’s Center on Oct 30. hat they call you is one thing. What you answer to is something else.”1 Lucille Clifton’s words are a mantra of sorts for Rachel Eliza Griffiths in her efforts—through making art and writing poetry—to shatter ideology that diminishes the bodies of people of color.

Griffiths seeks to place herself and her peers in a space that is not reactive to the gaze of a predominantly white and heteronormative culture. As a queer poet of color, she considers this to be a political act. “I don’t think I could walk around in the world and say my work is not political. The things I write about matter to me. They reflect this time we are living in and reflect times older than me, and are part of a future of mine,” she says.

In a 2012 interview with Roxane Gay for The Rumpus, Rachel Eliza Griffiths cited this quote by Lucille Clifton to describe her slant as a poet and artist.

Griffiths uses self-portrait in both her poems and photography, which Walter Mosley, a visual artist and author of more

than 40 books, says goes beyond simple presentation. “Rachel is like an embodiment of gravity when the universe was young and not everything fit in a place that was steady,” he says. “Her poems, photographs, videos, and paintings struggle through a primordial sludge toward each other.” Her self-portraits portray Griffiths’s “physical body,” he says, “as a sacrifice reaching out with all four limbs (and at least that many art forms), trying to pull together the unruly experiences of race and gender, eroticism and history, you and me, and finally how this jazz chorus

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makes moods, forms, images, and words come together like lost creatures seeking warmth from anywhere against a storm that might well be endless.” At the time of this interview, the Orlando massacre had presented Griffiths with a new challenge in her work. “I don’t know if I can be articulate because I feel so haunted and so angry,” she says. The imagination of an artist can help “someone to see another person’s story, another person’s race or gender or space in a way that makes them [feel] safer. So I’m grateful that art does that.” But, she adds, “In addition to what art can do, I really am deeply worried about the legal energy in this country and the changing politics of the government right now as far as access. [I feel] a very scary hate-filled environment. I think art can help with this situation, but it needs more than art.” Griffiths’s process is intensive and all-consuming. Over the course of a day, she devotes six to seven hours to her craft. First, she writes or reads, then teaches, works on photographs, paints, meditates, and ambles around Brooklyn with her dog. In essence, her active engagement with everyday life is essential to her job as a writer and artist. Her fluid journey across mediums is intuitive, but creative challenges impede this movement at times. Different mediums present psychic demands that require a conscious and intentional approach to any one project, especially when it concerns writing. She’s currently working on a

novel, which, she says, “essentially prohibits me from writing poetry.” It’s the same with art and photography. When Griffiths runs out of steam on her novel, she “resets her palette” by moving on to something else—photographs or art—any “incarnation separate from writing.” It’s an organic process that allows her to feed on different energies, she says. “I don’t put a lot of pressure on myself because I know I’m going to come back and give the novel

latest book, Lighting the Shadow (Four Way Books, 2015), which explores the Black and female experience. For one, it’s a hefty 118 pages—complete with 51 long poems. This aesthetic choice for length is risky, as a collection containing so much could feel too disorderly and packed—even energy-depleting. But Griffiths’s four-sectioned book of interconnected elegies, prose poems, persona poems, and self-portrait poems has the strange authority and feel of a history book, each section titled with a name that evokes a sense of chronology: “Diaphanous Corpse,” “A Dark Race for Enlightenment,” “Verses From the Dead Americans’ Songbook,” and “The Human Zoo.” And, true to her word, the poems in this book ride the waves of complex dichotomies in its exploration of the Black and female experience—light and shadow, life and death, history and mythology—all while resisting conclusion. Imagine a book revealing (not altogether unraveling) the knots of one’s connection to history while somehow portraying synonymy between different personalities and points across time.

Left: Two Elizas; above: Self-portrait

the time it needs. When I was younger, I would try to do it fast and just do all of these different things. I’ve learned in practice ... [to] work much more slowly now.” Griffiths discusses her work in a clear, measured tone that belies the intricacy and tension of her The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

The cover of Griffiths’ book, Lighting the Shadow, is a black and white photograph by artist Lorna Simpson, who, since the 1980s has been exploring the experience of African American women in contemporary society through photography. Her works are housed in major museums and private collections throughout the world. Griffiths considers Simpson to be part of her “visual lineage,” and the cover image

capitalizes on her theme for this book: “Acceptance of the darkest darks to emphasize the insistence of light.” As she explains: “The way contrast occurs in an unforgettable image provides me, as both reader and maker, with so much texture and mood. I hope that happens some of the time with the poems I write and when I look back at my past books, there is always the presence and tension of shadows in each book.” Roxane Gay, author of the critically acclaimed collection of essays Bad Feminist (HarperCollins, 2014), explains the historical feel to Griffiths’s work, as it “often is channeling the spirits of those writers who came before her while still revealing the power of her own voice.” Griffiths says a sense of history is essential when she is creating. “When I think about the poets living and dead who have come before me—and even the poets now arriving after me, younger generations of poets—it’s a really exciting moment to redefine and revise and question and resist. It’s important to push and take risks, to feel my work and the work that other people are doing has meaning and has value, that it matters.” But there is much more to Griffiths’ reckoning of historical figures than Gay’s quote lets on. Take, for example, Griffiths’s poem, “The Two Elizas, 2009.” Its power derives from the way it bundles several disparate narratives, including one about her two selves, an allusion to Lucille Clifton’s “won’t you celebrate with me,” and another to a self-portrait

by Frida Kahlo, Two Fridas (1939). The poem, however, also takes its cue from a photograph Griffiths took of herself of the same name, which is itself a reinterpretation of Kahlo’s self-portrait “to reveal my own understanding of time,” she says, and “trust in not so much of me holding my own hand, but me being able to hold one that is much bigger than mine— to be connected to the world in a way and remember that I am not alone. … I wanted to celebrate the knowledge that both Clifton and Kahlo have shared through the lives they dared to live and share,” Griffiths says. “The energy in The Two Elizas (2009) is not identical to Kahlo’s painting but conceptually and emotionally, they are kindred.” The poet’s focus on “pluralization” seeps into her portraits of other writers, too, which involves an intimacy between herself and her subject. Before she invites them into her studio, Griffiths plunges headlong into the writer’s work to get a sense of their “likeness on the page.” The effort is marked by a desire to match the literary voice to the physical presence, and to make a photograph that represents her relationship to the literary voice of each writer. Venus Thrash, who met Griffiths for the first time in 2003 as a fellow at a Cave Canem writer’s retreat in Greensburg, Pa. says, “When Rachel photographed me and other Cave Canem fellows, I admit I didn’t really get it and was reluctant. Now I understand what

Venus Thrash, Rachel Eliza Griffiths

a generous and visionary gift her photographs were (and are) to us all who have relied on her again and again for author photos on books we’d only hoped to write, but somehow Rachel knew. That’s her magic. That’s her secret.” Rachel Eliza Griffiths is the author of four collections of poetry and a fine art and portrait photographer of literary figures; she creates lyric videos; and has conducted micro-interviews with nearly 100 poets in a series called P.O.P. (Poets on Poetry) featured on the Academy of American Poets website. Griffiths’s literary and visual work also has been published widely in journals and anthologies, including Poets & Writers, The New York Times, American Poetry Review, and The Writer’s Chronicle. She earned an M.F.A. at Sarah Lawrence College and currently teaches at Sarah Lawrence and the Institute of American Indian Arts. For more information about the poet and her appearances, visit www.rachelelizagriffiths.com. Sarah Katz is publications assistant at AWP and co-founder of the journal Deaf Poet’s Society.

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THE TWO ELIZAS, 2009 By Rachel Eliza Griffiths (after ‘Two Fridas’, 1939) The things that hold. Hold me now before I am no more of a fragment than the clouds behind me.

Be near me & tell where the blood is going. Too often bull-bellied clouds slow drag our hips, fracturing both girl & woman.

The body expands its luminous stain.

Barbed ideals conjoin & coil their righteous dreams through arteries, thick as autumn vines

Melancholic now, one Eliza. Inconsolable: you: the Others.

that keep light out. And I must take my own hand, must hold my own hand, as if it were a stave of notes

Be near me & tell us where the blood is going.

scattered from a razed moon: brokenly beating the rhythm of a thousand-throated hummingbirds beneath a dress of tulle.

Be near me & tell Beauty I was once unbearable.

Listen to us: these women say to ourselves: Eliza: Eliza. The men have left & in a dusky corner the women you have been are piled like a beige heap of slips to be ironed & mended, hung. All mothers have left you & in their shadows blood drips from the chandelier to the floor where your body rocks in its cradle. Eliza: you: Eliza: me. Which if I’m answering each of you there’s light in my lungs where screams are smeared I wear golden lamps that open after midnight. Four lips of light opening towards testament & earth. Our imagination & plague.

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

EVENTS

The Writer’s Center

open door readings EVENTS

On most Sundays at 2 p.m., join us at The Writer’s Center for a free reading with award-winning and emerging authors, followed by a book signing and reception. All books are available for purchase in The Writer’s Center Book Gallery.

Sept 11

Gray Jacobik reads from her latest collection, The Banquet: New & Selected Poems, which features poems written over a period of 25 years and won the William Meredith Award. She is joined by William Meredith Foundation Board Member Michael Collier, author of five collections of poetry, and Board President, poet, and memoirist Richard Harteis.

Sept 18 Lesley Francis

Lesley Francis reads from her recent book about her grandfather, You Come Too: My Journey with Robert Frost. It includes Francis’s own poetry, as well as excerpts from her mother’s journal, family letters, and pieces from other writers like John Masefield. She will be joined by Jessica Greenbaum, popular New Yorker writer and author of The Two Yvonnes, a poetry collection that inquires into the delights and losses of our lives.

Oct 2

Celebrate three authors whose first books have been published by the Santa Fe Writers Project. Daniel M. Ford reads from Ordination, book one in the Paladin Trilogy. He is joined by novelist Brandon Wicks, author of American Fallout, and Tara Laskowski, who reads from her engrossing collection of short stories, Bystanders. Daniel M. Ford Brandon Wicks Tara Laskowski

Oct 9

Experience the work of our 2015 Emerging Writer Fellowship winners, Clifford Garstang and Brian Simoneau. Garstang’s most recent collection, What the Zhang Boys Know, is set in a renovated tenement Clifford Garstang in D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood. Simoneau’s debut poetry collection, River Bound, praised by Dorianne Laux for its “humor and storytelling,” explores blue-collar Brian Simoneau life in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Oct 16

Poets Terri Cross Davis and Hayes Davis both read from 2016 collections. Cross Davis reads Haint, a collection chronicling what could be summarized as the experience of life—poems filled with sentiments of reckoning, heartbreak, love, pleasure, and sorrow.

Terri Cross Davis

Hayes Davis

She is joined by husband Hayes Davis, author of Let Our Eyes Linger, in which he delves into his identities as son, grandson, father, husband, artist, and schoolteacher, all while commenting on currents of racial identity and the plight of Black men.

Oct 30

Poet Rachel Eliza Griffiths most recent collection, Lighting the Shadow, illuminates a woman’s journey through desire, grief, trauma, and introspection into the American psyche of desire and violence. (See feature article on page 8.) She is joined by long-time workshop leader John Morris, who reads from his collection of short stories, When I Snap My Fingers You Will Remember Everything.

Nov 6

Join Laura Fargas and Robert Williams, winners of the annual Washington Writers’ Publishing House competition, for a reading. Fargas’s new collection, The Green of Ordinary Time, won the 2016 Jean Feldman Laura Fargas Robert Williams Prize for Poetry. Williams, author of Strivers and Other Stories, reads from this collection of short stories primarily set in the American south during the 20th century.

Nov 13

History fans, listen up! Join acclaimed historian Peter Cozzens as he reads from The Earth is Weeping: The Epic Story of the Indian Wars for the American West, which explores the tragedies of native tribes, the squalid lives of U.S. soldiers, and the moral and ethical quandaries of the Generals ordered to lay siege against a culture they often sympathized with personally. Cozzens is joined by Jeff Richards, author of Open Country: A Civil War Novel in Stories, which tells the story of the Civil War across 18 interwoven tales. The book is based on the true experiences of Aden Price and Thomas Jermyn Walker Price, Civil War veterans and Richards’s ancestors.

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Peter Cozzens

EVENTS Thursday, September 15, 7:30 p.m. Discover the intersections between creativity and science in brain function. Participants Jane Campbell Moriarty, professor of law at Duquesne University Law School, who Jane Moriarty speaks about neuroscience and deception, and novelist and scientist Joram Piatigorsky, who is an NIH distinguished scientist and founding chief of the Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Biology at the National Eye Institute, will be moderated by Lee Gutkind, editor of Creative Nonfiction magazine.

Fall for the Book Sunday, September 25 & Friday, September 30

Dec 4

Michelle Brafman reads from her new novel, Bertrand Court, which takes place in a suburban D.C. cul-de-sac and is comprised of 17 separate narratives following the secrets and scandals of politicos, filmmakers, and housewives. Fellow novelist Carolyn Parkhurst, the author of Harmony, joins Brafman. Harmony follows the Hammonds and their family’s struggle to cope when the eldest daughter is faced with a condition without possible diagnosis. New York Times bestselling author Jodi Picoult called it “gorgeously written and patently original.”

Dec 11 Walter Cybulski

Creativity, Science & the Brain

Poets Walter Cybulski, author of Nothing to Say and Saying It, and Piotr Gwiazda, who reads from his recently published third collection, Aspects of Strangers, are joined by The Writer’s Center Undiscovered Voices Fellowship 2014 recipient, Caitlin Reid. She has earned several scholarships to continue her education, including The Gettysburg Review Writer’s Conference and a Murphy Writing Seminar in Wales.

POETRY & PROSE OPEN MIC Don’t be shy! Share poetry, fiction, and nonfiction works during open mic sessions. Sign-up for readers begins at 1:30, and the reading starts at 2 p.m. OCTOBER 23 DECEMBER 18

Fall for the Book is celebrating its 18th year in style. The festival runs from September 25 to 30, and kicks-off and finishes with readings at The Writer’s Center. On Sunday, September 25 at 2 p.m., hear poets Martha Collins, Michelle Tokarczyk, and Ailish Hopper, and then come back on Friday, September 30 at 5:30 p.m., to Martha Collins hear novelist Ross Howell Jr. and memoirist Frye Gaillard.

Tell Your Story, Then Write It Saturday, October 1, 2 p.m. Transform your memories into stories. “If you wait for others to tell your story, they might get it wrong!” warns nationally renowned storyteller Ellouise Schoettler. Along with acclaimed novelist and workshop leader Solveig Eggerz, Schoettler will lead a program that explains how memoirists and writers of personal stories can enrich their writing by beginning with oral storytelling.

World War I: A Reading Thursday, October 20, 7:30 p.m. The Writer’s Center presents a series of readings from books set during the early 20th century. Kenneth Ackerman reads from his new nonfiction effort, Trotsky in New York, 1917: A Radical on the Eve of Revolution. Novelist Emily Mitchell reads from The Last Summer in the World, which follows the experience of an American photographer for the U.S. army during the German threat to Paris in the summer of 1918. And Richard Hage reads from Cribbage in the Dugout: World War I Diaries and Selected Letters of Theodore Higgins Sweetser, Sr.

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

Ken Ackerman

EVENTS

Nov 20

Jonathan Moody reads from his most recent collection, Olympic Butter Gold, winner of the 2014 Cave Canem Northwestern University Press Poetry Prize. Moody’s poetry focuses on hip-hop and rap culture in America. He is joined by Jane Hilberry, Lalita Noronha a professor of creative writing and Shakespeare at Colorado College and the author of Body Painting. Don’t miss Hillberry’s workshop, The Power of Metaphor, at 10 a.m. on the morning of the reading. (See page 29.) Also reading is Bombay native Lalita Noronha, who writes about her work in both microbiology and the arts in Mustard Seed: A Collage of Science, Art and Love Poems.

EVENTS

The Writer’s Center

EVENTS

Duende Now Saturday, December 10, 7 p.m. Ticket Price: $25, $20 members Duende Now will bring Federico García Lorca’s concept of the duende, his theory of artistic creation and performance, into a contemporary context. The event will feature a staged conversation among three artists and artistic practices—flamenco dance, poetry, and folk music—in an effort to give audience members an experience of this creative force. The 45-minute performance will be followed by a reception with Spanish bites and wine.

First Novel Prize Winner Bret Anthony Johnston Thursday, November 3, 7:30 p.m. We’re pleased to host Bret Anthony Johnston, winner of the 2015 McLaughlin-Esstman-Stearns First Novel Prize. Johnston reads from Remember Me Like This, a novel that has received rave reviews in The New York Times and elsewhere, as well as high praise from authors such as John Irving, Alice Sebold, and Andre Dubus III.

from The Writer’s Center will be on hand to offer advice and help you select gifts for all the readers in your life, including books, literary journals, and gift certificates for workshops. Readings by authors published in your favorite literary journals will treat us to excerpts from their work throughout the afternoon. Mingle with the authors and raise a glass to holiday cheer.

From fiction instructor

Veterans Return Home: Readings Saturday, November 12, 3 p.m

JOHN MORRIS

Join editor Dario DiBattista and several authors as they read from Retire the Colors: Veterans & Civilians on Iraq & Afghanistan, a collection of nonfiction accounts by service members returning to civilian life. DiBattista is nonfiction editor of O-Dark-Thirty, a quarterly literary journal published by the Veterans Writing Project.

NO RECORD PRESS

Introducing: The Newest Issue of The Delmarva Review

SEPTEMBER 2016

Saturday, November 19, 2 p.m. The Delmarva Review Volume 9 includes literary work from 30 authors, including several from the region. The editors will be present to answer audience questions about the review and submission process. Solveig Eggerz reads “Saved,” from her coming novel, John Benner reads from his short fiction “After Life Dot Com,” and David Salner reads from his latest poetry.

Holiday Book Fair Saturday, December 17, 12 p.m. The Holiday Book Fair returns this year, and it will be better than ever! Small press publishers, editors of local literary journals, workshop leaders, and staff

“Sharp, funny, and original, these stories are a delight to read.” —Speer Morgan

jmorrisbooks.com

View online at www.writer.org/guide

FROM THE WORKSHOPS Many talented writers have passed through The Writer’s Center’s halls, taking multiple workshops and honing their craft. We present here a small sampling of the amazing work they produce.

Show and Tell By Jennifer Cate Getting Started: Fiction Intensive with Elizabeth Poliner

o give herself courage for the day, Amna had worn her orange sneakers. Mamdouh had always teased her that she looked like a boy when she wore sneakers, but she knew he liked her to be able to run fast. She kicked them nervously against the leg of her desk until the girl with blond ringlets glanced over disapprovingly. Amna left the drawing in her backpack as long as she could, hoping she might be able to whisk it back home and skip this American Show and Tell tradition. Maybe the teacher would just forget, and she would be saved. Saved from revealing her family picture to the class. Saved from showing the empty spaces, from revealing that she and Mamma now lived with an uncle and his family with just one room of their own. Saved from explaining that she had had a father and a brother but that Babba and Mamdouh would never be coming home. But now Miss was telling today’s presenters to prepare their drawings for Show and Tell. The other two children who would be introducing their families had their pictures ready on top of their desks. Amna breathed in and out through her nose while she

jiggled the rusty zipper on her book bag. It was stuck again. It was a gift from their American social worker but it didn’t seem new. Babba would have bought her a new bag for the school year, maybe an orange one to match her favorite shoes. Finally the zipper budged. She carefully removed the drawing. She had finished the picture last night at the kitchen table, while Mamma and Auntie were praying, and her Uncle was helping his children with their homework. She put some mascara on her mother—and some red lipstick—because that was how Mamma used to look on evenings when she went out walking in Aleppo with Babba. On herself she drew jeans like the other girls in her class wore. And a pink shirt. Because they all wore pink. Pink everything. She

didn’t have anything pink yet, but her mother said maybe she would find something pink at Goodwill soon. She drew her hair in glossy brown braids, like she used to

Illustration for Awake, a children’s book by Susanna Fields-Kuehl written and made in Mary Quattlebaum’s Writing Picture Books workshop.

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

FROM THE WORKSHOPS have in Syria. But after the bombing, after the funerals, while their voyage was being arranged, Mamma didn’t have time to wash and comb Amna’s long braids, so she had taken scissors to her daughter’s hair one evening, weeping the whole time. Amna hadn’t cried. The bangs were noticeably crooked. The picture showed only two people: Amna and Mamma. The girl with blond curls had presented yesterday. She had two parents and three brothers and a big red dog and two cats. They almost didn’t fit on the page. Amna had noticed, though, that several other kids in her class had drawn only one parent. She had thought about drawing her father and brother up in the corner, showing what she hoped was true: that they were in Paradise, looking down on their splintered family, telling her mother to stop crying into her pillow at night, advising her where to look for jobs in America, and telling her not to worry about English, that Amna would always translate for her. She wasn’t sure whether or not to draw wings on them. Did dead people have wings like angels? She wasn’t certain. She decided not to add them. A lot of children had drawn their pets. Cats and dogs mostly and a few fish. Amna didn’t have any pets yet, but she drew the ones she had played with in Aleppo: big, brown spiders with legs covered in little hairs. She would save them from her mother’s traps and take them back outside to climb the citrus trees. There, they would scurry away from her, unharmed.

Amna wondered if she should put Mamdouh in the drawing. How could she fit someone so tall into the picture? At 14, he had already been taller than both their parents. She wouldn’t have been able to fit his microscope in or his collection of soccer balls. She couldn’t imagine describing her family without him, but she didn’t think you were supposed to talk about dead people in this American game, so she left him out. And now it was her turn. She felt her feet carrying her to the front of the class and wondered if the room had seemed this quiet for the other presenters. Breathe. She was at the front now. She turned around slowly and caught Miss’s eye. Miss was smiling at her, her eyes glassy. Slowly, Amna held up her picture. Everyone was silent, scanning her drawing. “This my mother. I call her ‘Mamma.’ She likes to cook, especially mujadarah. It’s rice and lentils. And tabouleh. It’s salad. And she with her friends does volunteer work to help poor people.” She used to. Now she received stamps for food and used backpacks for her daughter. “And this is me. I had long hair,” Amna explained, her heart sinking at the simplicity of her story. Should she point out her orange sneakers? No; that was obvious. “And these are my spiders.” The ringlets shrieked. Another girl pulled her feet off the floor to save them from imagined spiders. Other girls’ eyes got round.

The Writer’s Center “I catch them and save them from Mamma. She uses roach traps because spiders like the smell, and then they die. And our maid sweeps them into garbage. So I try to save them.” Maybe she shouldn’t have mentioned the maid. People here cleaned their own houses. Two hands shot up. Both boys. “What kind of spiders are they?” the boy who rode a skateboard wanted to know. “Just brown with hairs. I don’t know if they have poison, but we’re not scared about them.” A boy in the back with shaggy blond hair was waving her for to call on him, so she pointed to him. “I have spiders in the back yard next to the edge of the woods. They’re kind of like white, but closer to cream. They have big fat bellies. Our gardener will probably try to kill them, so I’m trying to save them before he finds them. You can come see them sometime. You have to wear boots when you go back there with me because sometimes there are snakes too.” Her teacher thanked her, and told everyone to clap, and she felt herself floating back to her desk. Snakes. Amna had never seen a snake. Not a real one. Not up close. She wondered if they were spring green and faded into the grass or if they had red and black and yellow stripes on them like the ones in pictures. She wouldn’t wear her orange shoes when she went to see them. She’d ask Mamma for boots.

View online at www.writer.org/guide

FROM THE WORKSHOPS

Karmic Intent By Julianne Rush-Manchester Getting Started: Creative Writing with Patricia Gray

dropped to my knees at the first glance of her. The unyielding asphalt scraped through my textured sweatpants. The girl’s body was mangled, off in the ditch. My truck’s massive tires had crushed the girl’s hips and back. She was probably about 13 or 14, strawberry blonde hair matted with the sick mixture of blood and snowy mud. Her right leg, somewhat disjointed from the torso, slumped casually over her left, and her hands were stretched out as if to be reaching. The sun’s dim rays played with her light pink nail polish, like in a surreal dream. If only this was a dream. Tears rolled down my cheeks—for the girl and her lost future, for her mother, her father, and the family I imagined. I glanced to the right and, for the first time, noticed the other girl. She was pale with fright and anger, emerging from the slushed woods. Now standing before me, about 5’4”, I could see she was of the same height and slight build as the dead girl. No tears from her, only silence and staring hatred. I looked into her icy blue eyes and pleaded for her to recognize me: “Andrea, Andy, my friends call me.” I wanted her to understand me—the straight “A” student in high school, the promising college dropout who, albeit briefly, studied philosophy (“At least get

a degree…in something”). My parents could never figure me out, and I was just a disappointment wishing for acceptance. I was the mother of a child I rarely even saw. No, this was too much to ask from this poor, traumatized girl, in that moment. Instead, I was a killer, an out of control truck driver, probably drunk or high. Crazy bitch. For whatever reason, it didn’t matter. I was the cause of this. For her, a game changer. The sirens broke the angry silence. I remembered my call to 911. “I just hit somebody with my truck. I think a girl, on a sled. I’m driving a semi. No, I don’t know where she is. I can’t see. No, I don’t know if there is a fatality. No, I don’t see anyone else. I’m at the bend on Route 12, approaching Hemphill Pass. Going North. Andrea Marshall.” First charged with reckless homicide, I pleaded down to involuntary manslaughter. These terms sounded like they pertained to criminals, and the law said they pertained to me. I first met Amelia as she stared hard at me, hating me for killing her twin, Danielle. In a letter to Amelia, I tried to explain from my prison cell: “This is a wakeup call. I am hopeful this experience will cast out my demons for good.” I wanted her to know about the painkillers, how I self-medicated to escape from the The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

world. My dark angels. “I desire the things which will destroy me in the end,” wrote Sylvia Plath. That was my truth then. I was simply not worthy of much else.

Lecturing By Louis Mateus Exploring Poetic Craft with Judith Harris

As in a discussion about the effects of texting on family interactions with a young lady who’s young enough to be a daughter, with cell phone on her lap and legs crossed; who from the soft neutrals of her eyes is looking at her fingers push a white thread loose on her boot of sheepskin back into its needlework like coded text closing the gaps of a conversation.

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Need a place to meet, celebrate, or play? Our Allan B. Lefcowitz Theatre, Jane Fox Reading Room, and gorgeously renovated classrooms are available for extremely fair prices. Consider The Writer’s Center for your next: • Film Screening • Concert • Play • Conference • Writing Group Meet-up • Book Launch Party • Study Group • Book Club

Allan B. Lefcowitz Theatre Rehearsals (no access to the public) $65/hr Performances - $125/hr Pre- and Post-Performance - $80/hr The Writer’s Center Staff Time* - $25/hr

Jane Fox Reading Room

October 21 - November 20, 2016 The Night Alive

Rehearsals (no access to the public) $35/hr Performances - $80/hr Pre- and Post-Performance - $25/hr The Writer’s Center Staff Time - $25/hr

by Connor McPherson

Classrooms $15/hr (members) $20/hr (non-members)

For additional information call 301-816-1023 or visit www.QuotidanTheatre.org

For details terms and conditions, visit www.writer.org/resources/ space-rentals Please contact judson.battaglia@ writer.org for availability inquiries and to book our space.

View online at www.writer.org/guide

ASK THE INSTRUCTOR In our new column, we answer your questions about craft, getting published, and other writing-related queries. Please send questions to vanessa.mallorykotz@writer.org with the subject line Ask the Instructor, and your question might be featured in the next issue of The Writer’s Guide.

What is Narrative Nonfiction?

discovered narrative nonfiction not long after I began my freelance writing career, nearly 20 years ago. This genre, which combines the elements of narrative (incorporating the senses, storytelling, and pacing) with the factual requirements of nonfiction, gave me the tools to engage a lay audience in a piece with somewhat dry scientific information. In an explanatory narrative, the facts and narrative elements form a sort of braid. When done properly, the transition from narrative to explanation and back again is seamless. The reader must not be taken out of the story even if the piece requires technical information. If the narrative is compelling enough, the reader will be eager to follow the essay to the end. Present the Facts First, identify the story within your research, and then select the facts that will be included in the piece. Not every fact will make the cut. Some are universally important because they flesh out the story, no matter the theme or point you want to make. Some facts are specific to the “way in.” Bring It to Life Pay attention when you conduct an interview, visit a place, or experience an event. Take note of

descriptive details like the color of the sky, the scent of food cooking, or the facial expressions of your subject. These sensory details are the soul of narrative nonfiction. Observations such as the texture of a silk garment or the rasp in someone’s voice are what give a piece narrative quality—transforming straight reporting into literary work. Dialogue and meaningful quotes are equally important. The words people say in the story create an immediacy that brings the reader more deeply into the narrative. As with all other aspects of narrative nonfiction, the details and quotes used must be 100% accurate. Composite characters or quotes based upon what someone might have said are forbidden. You are at the mercy of your observations, interviews, and research! But what happens when you find yourself well into a relationship before your realize there’s a story to be told? For Example Currently, I am writing about a fiber artist who makes traditional Korean wrapping cloths (bojagi) and my relationship with fiber arts, the artist, quilting traditions, and Korea. I’ve known the artist for more than 10 years and have not taken notes on all of our meetThe Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

ings. To bring her to life, I begin with a description of the artist: By way of introduction, Chunghie Lee quietly explains that she’s a small woman from a small country. That’s true, but with one look at her work you are immediately aware there’s intensity and drive just beneath that placid surface. How else could it be that this small woman works in the Victoria and Albert Museum, has been part of exhibitions around the world, and resides part of each year in Rhode Island where she teaches bojagi at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). I’ll expand this opening information about Chunghie Lee. Then, I’ll intertwine historical information about wrapping cloths with examples from her work and details about our relationship. When complete, it will be a work that uses the techniques of narrative with factual information to tell a compelling story. I’m looking forward to watching it unfold. Gina Hagler is an award-winning science and technology writer for the lay reader. This fall, she will teach three Narrative Nonfiction workshops. See page 22.

LEADERS

With Gina Hagler

WORKSHOP GUIDELINES WORKSHOP GUIDELINES Learning to write is an ongoing process that requires time and practice. Our writing workshops are for everyone, from novices to seasoned writers looking to improve their skills, to published authors seeking refinement and feedback, to professionals with an eye on competition. Group settings encourage the writing process by teaching writers to prioritize and to help each other using many skills at once. From our workshops, participants can expect: • Guidance and encouragement from a published, working writer; • Instruction on technical aspects such as structure, diction and form; • Kind, honest, constructive feedback directed at individual work; • Peer readers/editors who act as “spotters” for sections of writing that need attention, and who become your community of working colleagues even after the workshop is completed; • Tips on how to keep writing and integrate this “habit of being” into your life; • Tactics for getting published; • Time to share work with other writers and read peers’ work, and • Help with addressing trouble areas and incorporating multiple, sometimes conflicting, ideas into a revision.

BEGINNER LEVEL We strongly suggest that newcomers start with a beginner-level workshop. They are structured to help you discover the fundamentals of creative writing, such as:

• Getting your ideas on the page; • Choosing a genre and the shape your material should take; • Learning the elements of poetry, playwriting, fiction, memoir, etc.; • Identifying your writing strengths and areas of opportunity and • Gaining beginning mastery of the basic tools of all writing, such as concise, accurate language, and learning how to tailor them to fit your style.

The Writer’s Center smaller groups with distinguished writers on a specific project or manuscript. Workshop leaders select participants from the pool of applicants; selection is competitive.

REGISTRATION Workshop registration is available online at www.writer.org, in person at The Writer’s Center, via mail, online or by phone at (301) 654-8664.

INTERMEDIATE LEVEL

refund policy

These workshops will build on skills you developed in the beginner level, and are designed for writers who have: • Critiqued some published works; • Taken a beginner-level workshop; • Achieved some grace in using the tools of language and form and • Have projects in progress they want to develop further.

To receive a credit, you must notify TWC by e-mail ( judson.battaglia@ writer.org) within the drop period. • Full refunds are given only when TWC cancels a workshop. • Workshop participants who have enrolled in and paid for a workshop and choose to withdraw from it within the drop period (see below) will receive a full credit to their account that can be used within one year to pay for another workshop and/or a membership.

ADVANCED LEVEL Participants should have manuscripts that have been critiqued in workshops at the intermediate level and have been revised substantially. This level offers: • Focus on the final revision and completion of a specific work; • Fast-paced setting with higher expectations of participation and • Deep insight and feedback.

MASTER LEVEL Master classes are designed for writers who have taken several advanced workshops and have reworked a manuscript into what they believe is its final form. Master classes are unique opportunities to work in

Find Your Niche The Writer’s Center recognizes that all writers and styles are unique! Our staff can help you find the right course(s) for your level of experience, preferred genre and overall goals. Call us at (301) 654-8664.

Drop Period for Credit 5 or more sessions: 48 hours notice required before the second meeting 4 or fewer sessions: 48 hours notice required before the first meeting 20

View online at www.writer.org/guide

ADULTS WRITE FOR CHILDREN (PAGE 25)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Writing Picture Books

Mary Quattlebaum

11/3–11/17

7–9:30 p.m.

ALL

FICTION (PAGES 25–27)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

Fiction II

Jennifer Buxton

9/8–10/27

7–9:30 p.m.

Flash Fiction

Lynn Stearns

9/15–11/3

10 a.m.–12 p.m.

The Novel Year

Susan Coll

9/15-8/31

7–9:30 p.m.

Building Better Characters

Leslie Pietrzyk

9/20

1–4 p.m.

B/I

The Extreme Novelist

Kathryn Johnson

9/21–11/9

7–9:30 p.m.

I/A

Whodunnit? Writing the Mystery

Alan Orloff

9/24

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

B/I

Conflict & Tension

Kathryn Johnson

9/24

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Beginning Fantasy Fiction

Brenda W. Clough

10/4–10/11

7:30–9:30 p.m.

The Muddle in the Middle

Kathryn Johnson

10/8

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Write Off the Map

Julie Wakeman-Linn

10/11

7–9 p.m.

all

Elements of Fiction: Dialogue

Alan Orloff

10/15

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Write Tight!

Alan Orloff

10/15

2–4:30 p.m.

Writing Short Stories

John Morris

10/17–12/5

7–9:30 p.m.

ALL

Fiction II: Taking the Next Step

Aaron Hamburger

10/18–12/6

1–3 p.m.

Great Beginnings

Kathryn Johnson

10/22

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Developing Your Flash Fiction

Tyrese L. Coleman

10/22–12/3

11 a.m.–1 p.m.

I/A

Short Story Publication Rehearsal

Julie Wakeman-Linn

11/8

7–9 p.m.

i/a

Revision 101

Kathryn Johnson

11/12–11/19

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

From Novice to Novelist

John DeDakis

12/3

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

ALL

Characters We Love...Or Love to Hate

Kathryn Johnson

12/3

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Short Story Skeletons

Julie Wakeman-Linn

12/6

7–9 p.m.

b/i

Fairy Tales in Fiction*

Nicole Miller

12/10

11 a.m.–4 p.m.

ALL

MIXED GENRE (PAGES 27–29)

LEADER

DATES

DAY

TIME

LEVEL

How to Write A lot

Kathryn Johnson

9/10

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Promoting Your Own Book*

Cherrie Woods

9/10

11 a.m.–2 p.m.

ALL

Boot Camp for Writers: So the Words Don’t Get in the Way

Beth Kanter

9/14–10/26

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

ALL

B—beginner

I—intermediate

A—advanced

M—master

ALL—all levels —online class

* Indicates workshops held at one of our satellite locations. Please see descriptions for more information. The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

SCHEDULE

FALL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

The Writer’s Center

SCHEDULE

MIXED GENRE (Continued)

LEADER

DATES

DAY TIME

LEVEL

Writing From Life

Ellen Herbert

9/21–11/16

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Exciting Stories

Hildie Block

9/22–11/10

11 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

ALL

Getting Started: Creative Writing

Nancy Naomi Carlson

9/24

1–5 p.m.

Mix It Up: Writing + Art

Mary Quattlebaum and Joan Waites

9/29–10/6

7–9:30 p.m.

ALL

Rejection: Make It Work for You

Kristin Clark Taylor

10/1

10 a.m.–12 p.m.

ALL

Humor Writing

Sarah Schmelling

10/1–10/15

1–3 p.m.

ALL

Structure Your Book

Hildie Block

10/15–10/22

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

ALL

Getting Started: Creative Writing

Elizabeth Rees

10/19–12/14

7–9:30 p.m.

Applying Standup Comedy Techniques to Your Writing

Basil White

10/22–10/23

Sa/ Su

1–5 p.m.

ALL

Finding Your Voice

Mary Carpenter

11/1–12/6

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Public Speaking for Writers

Alicia Oltuski

11/1–11/22

7–9 p.m.

When Your Soul Speaks: Writing as a Path to Healing

Laura Probert

11/1–12/23

7–9 p.m.

ALL

How to Conduct Research and Interviews for Fiction and Nonfiction

Jenny J. Chen

11/12–12/3

1–3:30 p.m.

B/I

Applying and Preparing for Your M.F.A. Claire Handscombe

11/17

7–9 p.m.

ALL

The Atmosphere Workshop*

Nicole Miller

11/19

11 a.m.–4 p.m.

I/A

The Power of Metaphor

Jane Hilberry

11/20

10 a.m.–12 p.m.

ALL

NONFICTION (PAGES 28–30)

LEADER

DATES

DAY TIME

LEVEL

Opinion Writing For Publication

Ananya Bhattacharyya

9/15–10/20

7–8 p.m.

Writing Narrative Nonfiction: Basics

Gina Hagler

9/15–10/20

7–9:30 p.m.

B/I

The Writer’s Toolbox

Sara Mansfield Taber

9/27–11/15

1–3:30 p.m.

ALL

Writing the Family Memoir

Cheryl Somers Aubin

10/4

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Travel Writing

Ellen Ryan

10/6–11/10

7–9:30 p.m.

B/I

Life Stories Intensive

Lynn Schwartz

10/15

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. ALL

Writing Narrative Nonfiction: Beyond Basics

Gina Hagler

10/24–12/12

7–9:30 p.m.

I/A

Writing Personal Essays

Christine Koubek

10/26–12/7

7–9:30 p.m.

B/I

Writing Nonfiction for Kids

Gina Hagler

11/3–12/15

7–9:30 p.m.

B/I

Finding Structure For Your BookLength Memoir

Janice Gary

11/5–11/12

2–4 p.m.

ALL

View online at www.writer.org/guide

NONFICTION (Continued)

LEADER

DATES

DAY TIME

LEVEL

Writing the Family Memoir

Cheryl Somers Aubin

11/5

10 a.m.–2 p.m.

Public Writing for Physicians, Scientists, and Health Professionals

Peter Lovenheim

11/7–12/12

7–9 p.m.

ALL

4 Essays/Memoirs, 4 Weeks

Sara Mansfield Taber

11/29–12/20

1–3:30 p.m.

ALL

POETRY (PAGES 30–33)

LEADER

DATES

DAY TIME

LEVEL

Practice Exphrastic! 4 Poems in 4 Weeks

Melanie Figg

9/15–10/6

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Writing From Your Roots: A Multicultural Poetry Workshop

Maritza Rivera

9/17–10/8

1–3 p.m.

ALL

Fun Poetry

Hailey Leithauser

9/17–10/22

2–4 p.m.

Poetry I

Nan Fry

9/20–10/18

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

Advanced Poetry

Rod Smith

9/21–11/16

7–9 p.m.

Poetry of Place: Passport to the Real and Imagined*

Lucian Mattison

9/22–10/13

7–9 p.m.

I/A

Poetry I : An Introduction To Craft & Beauty

Melanie Figg

10/10–11/21

7–9:30 p.m.

B/I

How Poems Begin

Sue Ellen Thompson

10/23

1–4 p.m.

ALL

Writing From Your Roots: A Multicultural Poetry Workshop

Maritza Rivera

10/29–11/19

1–3 p.m.

ALL

Poetry II

Nan Fry

11/1–11/29

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m.

I/A

Turning Points: The Volta in Contemporary Poems*

Sue Ellen Thompson

11/12

1–4 p.m.

ALL

DIY Haiku Holiday Cards

Melanie Figg

11/28–12/12; M; 12/17 Sa

7–9 p.m.

ALL

A Matter of Time: Verb Tenses and Poetry

Sue Ellen Thompson

12/4

1–4 p.m.

ALL

PROFESSIONAL WRITING (PAGE 33)

LEADER

DATES

DAY TIME

LEVEL

Understanding Syntax

Edward Perlman

9/6–10/4

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

ALL

Selling Your Point: Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing

James Alexander

9/21–10/26

7–9:30 p.m.

B/I

Writing the Dreaded Query Letter

Alan Orloff

9/24

2–4:30 p.m.

ALL

The Secrets to Publishing in Literary Magazines

Meg Eden

10/22

1–4 p.m.

ALL

Landing a Literary Agent

Eva Langston

11/7–11/4

7–9 p.m.

ALL

Build Your Own Author Website

Meg Eden

12/3

1–4 p.m.

ALL

B—beginner

I—intermediate

A—advanced

M—master

ALL—all levels —online class

* Indicates workshops held at one of our satellite locations. Please see descriptions for more information. The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

SCHEDULE

FALL WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

The Writer’s Center

SCHEDULE

STAGE AND SCREEN (PAGE 33)

LEADER

DATES

DAY TIME

LEVEL

Playwriting: Process

Richard Washer

9/10

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Writing Great Screen Dialogue

John Weiskopf

9/14–11/2

7–10 p.m.

ALL

Playwriting: Dialogue

Richard Washer

9/15

7:30–10 p.m.

Writing for Film & Television*

Khris Baxter

9/24

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

ALL

Playwriting II: Intermediate Playwriting

Richard Washer

10/1–11/19

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Writing for Film & Television*

Khris Baxter

11/12

10 a.m.–4 p.m.

ALL

ONLINE

LEADER

DATES

LEVEL

Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction

C. S. Friedman

9/12–10/31

ALL

Poetry Chapbook Workshop

Meg Eden

9/12–10/3

Introduction to Short Story

Christopher Linforth

9/19–11/7

What’s Your Story?

Dave Singleton

9/28–10/19

I/A

Intermediate Novel

T. Greenwood

9/30–11/18

Poetry Comics

Bianca Stone

10/3–11/7

ALL

How to Pitch Magazines and Sell Your Work

Jenny J. Chen

10/15–11/5

Look Closely

Charlotte Matthews

10/17–11/14

ALL

OUT-Writing: An LGBT-Focused Memoir Workshop

Dave Singleton

10/26–11/16

ALL

Writing Comfortable

Charlotte Matthews

10/31–12/19

Dear World: Telling Stories in Letters

Mathangi Subramanian

11/1–12/6

B/I

Plotting Your Novel

T. Greenwood

11/25–12/16

ALL

View online at www.writer.org/guide

WORKSHOPS For more detailed class descriptions, please visit writer.org Note: TWC will be closed September 5, November 11, 24, 25, and December 25. help participants better understand how to edit and prepare manuscripts for submission.

Writing Picture Books

8 Thursdays 10 a.m.–12 p.m. 9/15–11/3 Bethesda Intermediate $290

Mary Quattlebaum Learn how to write a picture book from a successful author of more than a dozen titles for children. Each session will begin with a short discussion of an aspect of writing for children, including story openings and arcs, characterization, plot/pacing, rhythm/sound, and marketing. Suggested readings, prompts, and feedback will inspire and guide writers in the class. By the end of the workshop, participants should have written and/or revised part or all of a picture book and have a better sense of how to create one in the future. Feel free to bring work to the first class (typed and double-spaced and with 15 copies). 3 Thursdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. All Levels

11/3–11/17 $135

 Introduction

to Short Story

Christopher Linforth Through a set of writing exercises, participants will explore the craft of short fiction and establish a sound grasp of the essential building blocks: character, point of view, dialogue, setting, plot, structure, and theme. The class will read classic and contemporary short stories for inspiration, and by the course’s end, each participant will have a written, workshopped, and revised story with plenty of material for many others. 8 Weeks N/A 9/19–11/7 Online Beginner $360

Building Better Characters Leslie Pietrzyk

Fiction Fiction II Jennifer Buxton You’ve learned the basics of fiction writing; now it’s all about practice. This intermediate workshop is designed to keep you going with deadlines, constructive feedback, and advice for developing your writing life. We’ll workshop participant pieces and do close readings of outside stories, all with an eye toward improving your practice and, finally, getting published. 8 Thursdays 7–9:30 p.m. 9/8–10/27 Bethesda Intermediate $360

How does the writer create believable characters with depth and complexity? This interactive, hands-on workshop will guide you through a fun and thorough research process, teaching you how to ensure that your characters—whether literary or genre—will pop on the page. Because we’re doing some online research, you will need a smartphone/ laptop along with paper/pen. 1 Tuesday Bethesda

1–4 p.m. 9/20 Beginner/Intermediate $50

The Extreme Novelist Kathryn Johnson

Learning how to take fantastic ideas and develop them into compelling stories is the heart and soul of both science fiction and fantasy. Following a series of targeted creative exercises, each participant will focus on producing and polishing a short story in his or her preferred genre, with the goal of producing a piece of work that could be submitted for publication.

Can’t find the time/energy/inspiration to get your novel written? This popular course, developed by the author of the book by the same name, will help you complete a rough draft in just eight weeks. Participants must commit to an aggressive writing schedule as they learn the tricks pros use to create a productive working environment. Classes will include troubleshooting discussions, a brief lecture with handouts, in-class writing time, and the opportunity to submit portions of the work-in-progress to the instructor for individual feedback. Note: This is not a workshopping course. Further information will be sent to registered participants in advance of the first class.

8 Weeks Online

8 Wednesdays Bethesda

 Writing

Fantasy and Science

Fiction C. S. Friedman

N/A All Levels

9/12–10/31 $360

7–9:30 p.m. 9/21–11/9 Intermediate/Advanced $360

Flash Fiction

Whodunnit? Writing the Mystery

Lynn Stearns

Alan Orloff

Flash fiction is fun, although boiling down a story into a few paragraphs (or shorter) is a challenge. By reviewing published examples and identifying what makes them successful, participants will learn how to write flash with a punch. Prompts and exercises, as well as critiques of pieces written in class will

If you’ve always wanted to write a mystery novel but didn’t know where to start, this workshop is for you. We’ll discuss writing fundamentals as they apply to the mystery genre. We’ll examine characteristics of the many subgenres (thrillers, too) and learn about mystery-specific conventions and

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

pitfalls such as TSTL syndrome, MacGuffins, red herrings, killer twists, wacky sidekicks, and smooth clue-dropping, among others. Fun, educational, and … mysterious! 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 9/24 Beginner/Intermediate $50

Conflict & Tension Kathryn Johnson It’s often said that without conflict there is no story. It also holds true that strengthening the conflict in any type of fiction will bump up the tension and turn a limp, ordinary tale into an extraordinary adventure that will keep readers turning pages until the end. Whether participants choose to write literary fiction, mysteries, family sagas, thrillers, historical fiction, sci-fi, or fantasy, they will learn techniques for drawing readers into their tales through action, dialogue, setting, details, and plot twists that make their work stand out from the crowd. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

 Intermediate

9/24 $50

Novel

T. Greenwood For aspiring novelists who’ve already taken Intro to the Novel, this workshop delves deeper into key components of crafting a book-length work of fiction. Participants will focus on character development, scene building, narrative structure, and how to finish a first draft. 8 Weeks Online

N/A 9/30–11/18 Intermediate $360

Beginning Fantasy Fiction Brenda W. Clough Vampires, zombies, and halflings with swords! Learn how to create your own world and share it with others through dynamic writing. The first session of this workshop will be devoted to the basics of fiction and story construction. In the second session, participants will do a warm-up exercise to help get them started on a possibly longer work. 2 Tuesdays 7:30–9:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

10/4–10/11 $100

The Muddle in the Middle Kathryn Johnson Most authors find the middles of their stories the hardest to write. Writers who fail to finish their books report that they began losing their confidence and direction after the second or third chapter. This workshop with a successful and prolific novelist offers helpful prompts and tasks that will open up a wealth of fresh ideas to get stories moving toward a satisfying climax and resolution. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

10/8 $50

workshops

Adults Write for Children

WORKSHOPS Write Off the Map

The Novel Year

Julie Wakeman-Linn

Susan Coll Fall: September 15-December 8 Winter/Spring: January 12-April 13 Summer: Individual monthly check-ins with instructor, June-August This 12-month program supports serious novelists looking to revise and pitch their novels. Novel Year participants will experience the rigor and structure of an M.F.A. program, but with less of an expense and time commitment.

workshops

Working with a published novelist, 10 participants will workshop their entire novel-in-progress. Other benefits include: 1. Consistent writing deadlines, studying aspects of craft, and being part of a supportive community 2. Panels and Q&As with experts in the industry, including literary agents and visiting writers

Where will your writing lead if you let it go off the map? In this generative workshop, participants will write from a timed prompt and then share for positive constructive feedback. Prompts will be drawn from classic sources, including What If and Three AM Epiphanies. Learn to shake off bad habits and let the images and characters flow without barriers. If you are feeling stuck or trapped in an overworked plot, this is a chance to open your heart. Participants will come away with three new story ideas. 1 Tuesday Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

10/11 $50

Elements of Fiction: Dialogue Alan Orloff Having trouble getting your dialogue to sparkle? Don’t let one of the most important building blocks of fiction fall flat! In this workshop, you will see that writing realistic-sounding dialogue has little to do with how people actually speak. You’ll learn how to use dialogue to advance the plot and reveal character, and we’ll cover the effective use of tags, oblique dialogue, and subtext. In addition, we’ll discuss how to incorporate actions within conversations to make written scenes spring to life. 1 Saturday 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

10/15 $50

Write Tight! Alan Orloff

3. Free access to the Studio at The Writer’s Center during the full year (valued at $1,000) 4. Free admission to literary events at the Center 5. Being a featured reader (reading works-in-progress) at the 2017 Bethesda Literary Festival

In this workshop for beginning fiction writers, you’ll learn how to excise excess prose to streamline your work. Improve clarity, pacing, and readability using fewer words! We’ll cover concepts like: show, don’t tell; in late, out early; in media res; redundancy; pesky adverbs; purple prose; and much, much more. Say goodbye to bloated manuscripts! 1 Saturday 2–4:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

Participants must have completed at least 150 pages of a novel before enrolling. To be admitted into the program, potential candidates will need to submit: • A one-page cover letter detailing their interest in the program • A 25-page writing sample from their novel in progress

9/15–8/31 $5,000

8 Tuesdays 1–3 p.m. 10/18–12/6 Bethesda Intermediate $290

Great Beginnings Kathryn Johnson Because literary agents and editors are so overwhelmed with submissions, they often judge a short story, novella, or novel by a quick read of the work’s opening pages. How does a writer ensure that the person judging their work will read past page five? There are many effective options for providing a strong hook for your story. This workshop will help writers develop the powerful opening that will draw in readers. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

Tyrese L. Coleman Have you dabbled in writing flash fiction (stories under 1000 words), but felt that your stories just weren’t complete? This course will teach you how to shape your flash pieces, turning them from mere observations or vignettes into complete narratives. You will learn how to launch right into the heart of conflict with concise language while relating a whole story or image. We will also read examples from other writers and discuss craft techniques and skills specific to writing flash fiction. The goal is to complete at least two flash stories that are ready for publication. 7 Saturdays Bethesda

11 a.m.–1 p.m. 10/22–12/3 Intermediate/Advanced $270

 Dear

Letters

This workshop will offer focused, constructive criticism of your short-story draft, with the goal of bringing your work to a new level of accomplishment. By discussing the craft of the short story as it applies to actual examples before us (your story drafts), we will provide useful, practical insights into the writing process. By the end of the workshop, all participants will receive in-depth critiques and suggestions for revision; many will have an opportunity to present a new draft.

Mathangi Subramanian

7–9:30 p.m. All Levels

10/17–12/5 $360

Aaron Hamburger In this interactive writing workshop, you’ll learn to raise your fiction writing game to the next

10/22 $50

Developing Your Flash Fiction

John Morris

Fiction II: Taking the Next Step Tuesdays 7–9:30 p.m. Bethesda Master

level. We’ll create and respond to participant fiction as well as explore key elements of story and novel writing through guided discussion, exercises, and explorations of published pieces. Your work will be thoroughly vetted in class conversation moderated by the instructor, including written responses from fellow participants and constructive comments and edits from the the instructor.

Writing Short Stories

8 Mondays Bethesda

• Submissions should be sent to laura.spencer@writer.org

10/15 $50

The Writer’s Center

World: Telling Stories in

If you could write to anyone, anywhere, anytime, what story would you tell, and how would you tell it? Using sample texts ranging from The Perks of Being a Wallflower to The Color Purple, we will examine how authors use tense, point of view, and other elements of epistolary fiction to develop characters, setting, conflict, and plot. Learn to apply this analysis to your own craft through exercises designed to help brainstorm, pre-plan, and execute stories-through-letters. By the end of the workshop, you will have the beginning of a work of epistolary fiction, including an outline of plot, sketches of characters, and the first few letters of a novel or short story. 6 Weeks Online

View online at www.writer.org/guide

N/A 11/1–12/6 Beginner/Intermediate $270

WORKSHOPS Julie Wakeman-Linn This workshop will feature a discussion about opening line strategies, how to make your last paragraph more powerful, and how to polish every sentence before submitting your piece to an editor. Syntax evaluation techniques will be provided and the value of “playbacks” or hooks that unify a story. Participants are invited to bring in their stories for revision practice and feedback. 1 Tuesday Bethesda

7–9 p.m. 11/8 Intermediate/Advanced $50

Revision 101 Kathryn Johnson This short course is intended for writers serious about their publication goals. Participants will learn ways to avoid the most common issues that result in rejection by agents and editors. Exposition, dialogue, characterization, focus, and pacing will be discussed. Plotting pitfalls, slow beginnings, and weak endings are a few of the topics we’ll tackle— along with methods of revision. The goal is to give fiction authors the tools they need to self-edit and polish their manuscripts, thereby increasing their chance of publication. 2 Saturdays 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 11/12–11/19 Bethesda Intermediate $100

 Plotting

Your Novel

T. Greenwood No matter your writing style—whether you plan every last detail or fly by the seat of your pants—novels need structure. Led by a longtime instructor and successful novelist, this workshop will help you learn how to create the architecture of your book. 4 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

11/25–12/16 $195

John DeDakis This day-long workshop deconstructs and demystifies the novel-writing process for struggling and/or aspiring writers. We’ll go all the way from generating a spark of an idea to getting your book into the hands of expectant fans. Along the way, you’ll learn how to stay organized, write in the voice of the opposite sex, appreciate the art of rewriting, and how to overcome your writing and marketing fears. By the end of the session, you’ll be prepared to start writing and equipped with the skills to perfect it. The session will include time for writing. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. All Levels

1 Saturday Bethesda

12/3 $115

Characters We Love...Or Love to Hate

10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

12/3 $50

Julie Wakeman-Linn The vast majority of successful stories have a bone structure of conflict, character, and complexity embedded in them. This workshop will uncover the skeletal pattern in three published stories and participants will learn to identify the pattern or its absence in their own stories. Stories will be emailed to participants in advance of this workshop. Participants will practice using the equation to shape their own story arcs and will carry away a plan for strengthening their story’s anatomy. 1 Tuesday Bethesda

7–9 p.m. 12/6 Beginner/Intermediate $50

Fairy Tales in Fiction Nicole Miller Sprinkle a little magic into your fiction. This workshop follows the fairy tale through 20th and 21st-century literary fiction, looking to the works of Franz Kafka, Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen), Steven Millhauser, Neil Gaiman, Angela Carter, and Sjón as portals to imaginary worlds modeled closely upon our own. Exercises will encourage writers to incorporate magical and mythological elements into a realistic framework or setting, while upholding the hallmarks of literary technique. Although voice and narrative storytelling will be queens for the day, the faithful subjects of character, scene, description, and dialogue will still hold court. Previous experience with the fairy tale genre is not required. 11 a.m.–4 p.m. All Levels

12/10 $100

Mixed Genre

9/10 $50

Boot Camp for Writers: So the Words Don’t Get in the Way Beth Kanter This course is for individuals who want to tone their writing muscles so they can go the distance. Each class will begin with a short warm-up exercise, followed by a prompt for a longer piece. Then, the group will focus on specifics like effective beginnings, creative prose, and strong conclusions. Participants will also learn how to avoid common grammatical and usage errors that can distract from the message. Writers of all genres and levels of experience are welcome and will have the beginnings of several narrative pieces by the end of the class. Return participants are welcome. Note: No meeting October 12. 6 Wednesdays Bethesda

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. All Levels

9/14–10/26 $270

Writing From Life Ellen Herbert Write what you know, or so the saying goes. But stories made by experience live in the complicated tangle of memory. This workshop is dedicated to their untangling, or as David Foster Wallace once said, to choose what “to attend to and represent and connect.” Enhance your personal narrative essays with literary techniques such as recreated dialogue, compression of time, and authenticity to write short personal narratives, which will be shared with the class. Note: No meeting on October 12. 8 Wednesdays 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

9/21–11/16 $360

Hildie Block

Kathryn Johnson Do you wish you had the time, energy, or inspiration to write, but feel your lifestyle is too hectic? In this workshop, a seasoned novelist will help you shed those doubts. Learn what professionals know about organizing time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting stories written. You will be able to adopt these methods to complete your books in months, instead of years, and short stories in mere weeks. 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

11 a.m.–2 p.m. All Levels

Exciting Stories

How to Write A Lot

1 Saturday Bethesda

help increase your book sales. Topics include: how to get local media coverage, where to look for reading opportunities, how to develop or strengthen your brand, and how to develop a strong author platform. The workshop will include a five-minute book cover assessment. Attendees are encouraged to bring a printed copy of their book. 1 Saturday Capitol Hill

Short Story Skeletons

1 Saturday Capitol Hill

From Novice to Novelist

1 Saturday Bethesda

with your paper people and keep turning pages to find out what happens to them? Over pastries and coffee, get advice from a professional writing coach and author on how to effectively develop characterization suitable to all genres.

9/10 $50

Promoting Your Own Book

Learn how to transform your ideas into exciting stories—no matter if it’s fiction or memoir. Through character development, a clear plot, and proper pacing held together with believable dialogue, you’ll be able to craft stories that grab the reader. Using the current Best American Short Stories as a text, this workshop will include prompts each class, lessons on that “exciting” topic, and time to critique each participant’s story or essay. Participants should expect to read about an hour outside of class each week. 8 Thursdays Bethesda

11 a.m.–1:30 p.m. All Levels

9/22–11/10 $360

Kathryn Johnson

Cherrie Woods

Getting Started: Creative Writing

How do you breathe life into fictional characters— protagonists, antagonists, supporting cast? How do you make them so believable that readers will bond

Have you self-published a book or feel your publisher isn’t giving it enough attention? In this one-day workshop, you’ll learn PR strategies to

If you’ve always wanted to write but haven’t known how to begin, this workshop is for you! Explore the

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

Nancy Naomi Carlson

workshops

Short Story Publication Rehearsal

WORKSHOPS thrill of writing short stories, poems, flash fiction, prose poems, and memoir as you let go of your fears and embrace your ability. Exercises in the workshop will “jump start” your writing, transforming a creative idea into actual words on a page. 1 Saturday 1–5 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

9/24 $80

Have you ever wanted to create art along with your writing but felt you lacked skills or direction? This workshop brings visual art and the craft of writing together. Each session will begin with a personal writing prompt, which then becomes the basis for a mixed-media art piece. Led by an author and an artist who love the process of creative discovery, this workshop invites you to explore and shape your material using specific strategies. The work created may become part of an ongoing unique memoir, illustrated journal, or might be several individual pieces.

workshops

9/29–10/6 $100

Rejection: Make It Work for You Kristin Clark Taylor Sylvia Plath said it best: “I love rejection slips. They show me I try.” Learn to embrace the “dark side” of the writing process–the constant rejection letters, the harsh critiques, debilitating writer’s block, that nagging crisis of confidence–by transforming negative energy into a purposeful, positive experience. Develop techniques and engage in dynamic discussion that will guide you through the inevitable rough spots. Marshall your emotions in a way that propels you forward, rather than sets you back. 1 Saturday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12 p.m. All Levels

10/1 $50

Humor Writing Great humor writers extract the inanity of everyday life and put it into essays (like David Sedaris and Nora Ephron), fiction (like George Saunders), parody (like The Onion), and offbeat or satirical short pieces (McSweeney’s, The New Yorker’s “Shouts and Murmurs”). Participants will consider the best humor writing for inspiration and learn strategies for trying different forms of humor writing. Participants will receive feedback on their funny ideas and work, and will develop one 500-word essay, short fiction, or humor piece. The discussion will also cover both online and print opportunities for publishing humor. 1–3 p.m. All Levels

10/15–10/22 $135

Closely

Anton Dvorak wrote, “Art is simply an elaboration of the smallest things we notice.” Once the moment in the woods passes, once the eclipse is over, how do we make an experience indelible so that others might know it too? This workshop invites participants to recognize awe in daily life and learn how to share it. By earnestly keeping a journal and recording their observations—in the fashion of a reporter—participants will develop the habit of active noticing. Each week, participants will write one poem and one piece of flash fiction that spring from exercises offered in class. Feedback from other participants and the instructor will be supportive and engaging. 5 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

10/1–10/15 $115

Structure Your Book

Elizabeth Rees Beginning writers are invited to explore three different genres: memoir writing, short fiction, and poetry. Each week, participants will be given a writing assignment and several readings to be followed by a critique of assignments. Throughout the course, participants will learn about voice, point of view, dialogue, description, imagery, and sound. By the end of this workshop, participants will have written one personal memoir, one short story, and three original poems, and will have developed a greater understanding of their own writing interests. Note: No meeting on November 23.

You’ve been meaning to finish your book for years, but never quite know where to go with a plot line or how to remember a character’s motives. Sometimes, especially when working with nonfiction, genre fiction, or fan fiction, determining the structure of your story is the solution. This workshop

10/19–12/14 $360

Applying Standup Comedy Techniques to Your Writing Basil White If you can read this and you can laugh, you can write humor! Learn to apply the basic psychology of how your brain gets a joke to discover what’s “gettable” about your subject matter, real or fictional, for humor writing or other ironic purposes. This class also works as a fun introduction to the fundamentals of workshopping for those new to the expectations of creative workshops. Class meets over one weekend on Saturday and Sunday. Before class, read the handout at basilwhite.com/comedyworkshop and bring questions. Must be 18 years or older. 1 Sat/Sun Bethesda

Hildie Block

10/17–11/14 $225

Getting Started: Creative Writing

8 Wednesdays 7–9:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

Sarah Schmelling

3 Saturdays Bethesda

10 a.m.–2 p.m. All Levels

Charlotte Matthews

Mary Quattlebaum and Joan Waites

7–9:30 p.m. All Levels

2 Saturdays Bethesda

 Look

Mix It Up: Writing + Art

2 Thursdays Bethesda

offers techniques and exercises to create structure, an outline, or scaffold that works. Peer critiques of drafts will give you feedback to make it even better.

1–5 p.m. All Levels

10/22–10/23 $80

Finding Your Voice Mary Carpenter Learn to free up personal experiences and choose the best words. In each session, participants will write one piece using an assigned topic, and then

The Writer’s Center read them aloud for peer feedback. Discover what’s strongest, what’s most engaging, and where the voice shines. Participants may also bring in work written or rewritten at home to read. By the end, everyone will have six writing fragments, along with suggestions about where to go with each piece. This is a great opportunity to try the workshop environment. 6 Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

11/1–12/6 $270

Public Speaking for Writers Alicia Oltuski In today’s literary scene, speaking engagements have become an integral part of the writer’s life—whether on book tour, pitching projects, or at conferences. This class will walk participants through the basics of refining successful speaking skills. This supportive environment encourages each writer to hone proficiency in the art form, in a way that both caters to individual needs and enriches the learning experience of the class as a whole. Designed for writers, but open to anyone who would like to work on public speaking and/or presentation skills. 4 Tuesdays 7–9 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

11/1–11/22 $135

When Your Soul Speaks: Writing as a Path to Healing Laura Probert Participants in this course will learn powerful tools that allow them to use writing as a path to healing and happiness. Explore the topics of body awareness, how to learn from the inner critic, using fear as a compass, and mindset magic, in combination with breath work. Therapeutic writing exercises will connect participants with their souls—and the source of the best writing. By the end of this course, participants will enjoy an enhanced level of awareness that will inspire their creative endeavors, make their writing come alive, and create a path toward healing and happiness they didn’t know was possible. Note: No meeting November 22. 6 Tuesdays Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

11/1–12/3 $215

How to Conduct Research and Interviews for Fiction and Nonfiction Jenny J. Chen Whether you’re writing a historical fiction book or a memoir, sometimes you need meticulous research to bring your work to life. In this fast-paced, handson workshop, we’ll discuss research and interview techniques, how to organize research, and how to weave research into your writing. Participants will get a chance to use what they learn in their own writing and to workshop with peers and the instructor. 4 Saturdays Bethesda

View online at www.writer.org/guide

1–3:30 p.m. 11/12–12/3 Beginner/Intermediate $195

WORKSHOPS

Claire Handscombe Is an M.F.A. right for you? If so, how should you go about choosing one? Explore different types of programs, including M.A., low residency, and specialized genre M.F.A., and discuss the pros and cons of each. Then learn how to tackle the application process and how to prepare for this academic adventure. 1 Thursday Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

11/17 $50

The Atmosphere Workshop Nicole Miller P.G. Wodehouse joked that when telling a story, he never knew whether “to cut the thing down to plain facts or whether to … shove in a lot of atmosphere.” Atmosphere can be a notoriously elusive thing. A combination of weather, feeling, and fate, it implies both the celestial and the earthbound. It impinges on plot and character, and suggests mood as well as the existence of intellect, intuition, and soul. Without it, our stories—whether personal or imaginary—fall flat at the outset. In this seminar, we will look at examples from contemporary and classic literature, both fiction and nonfiction, to analyze “the feeling” we derive from the best writing. Exercises with imagery, description, dreams, memory recall, and dialogue will help participants evoke atmosphere in their own writing, and to subtly tease out underlying themes. 1 Saturday Capitol Hill

11 a.m.–4 p.m. 11/19 Intermediate/Advanced $100

The Power of Metaphor Jane Hilberry “Metaphors are not merely things to be seen beyond. . . metaphor is as much a part of our functioning as our sense of touch, and as precious,” writes George Lakoff. Creating metaphor in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction is a largely intuitive process, yet bringing consciousness to the process of metaphor-making can enrich and refine our use of this powerful tool. Workshop participants will engage in metaphor-generating exercises and explore the structure of metaphor, the cultural nature of metaphor, the possibilities and limitations of metaphor, and how to make use of the elements that don’t fit in a metaphorical equation. Note: Workshop leader Jane Hilberry will read after the workshop at 1 p.m. as a part of our Open Door Reading Series. She’ll be joined by Jonathan Moody and Lalita Noronha. 1 Sunday Bethesda

10 a.m.–12 p.m. All Levels

11/20 $50

Nonfiction Opinion Writing For Publication Ananya Bhattacharyya Weave your opinions into compelling essays that provoke thought in others and impress editors. For the first three classes, we will discuss various “rules” of opinion writing and how to hone your

expertise. You’ll read articles and essays about the craft of writing, as well as examples of great op-eds and reported essays. After you’ve had time to assimilate what you have learned, the class will workshop your pieces during the last two or three weeks. Submission tricks and tips will be covered during the final meeting. The goal is to have your piece(s) ready for publication. The instructor will email an assignment in advance of the first class. 6 Thursdays 7–8 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

9/15–10/20 $115

Writing Narrative Nonfiction: Basics Gina Hagler The facts rule in narrative nonfiction. But the difference between straight reporting and narrative nonfiction is how the facts are presented. In this workshop, participants will study examples that illustrate the effective use of narrative elements and structure, how to go about reporting a piece, and how to uncover the story hidden within the research. 6 Thursdays Bethesda

Advertise in the Workshop & Event Guide! Reach an eclectic audience of writers, students, teachers & hobbyists. The Guide is published triquarterly & has a distribution of 15,000 throughout the D.C. Metro area. EVENTS 16

Wo rks hop

BOOK TALK

Sum mer

2016

7–9:30 p.m. 9/15–10/20 Beginner/Intermediate $270 EVENTS

Writing is “a careful act of construction,” William Zinsser notes. “You must know what the essential tools are and what job they are designed to do.” This workshop is for those who wish to sharpen the tools in their writer’s toolbox to create fine literary nonfiction. Participants will examine published essays and memoirs and practice aspects of the writer’s craft such as: concrete detail, use of the senses, figurative language, characterization, dialogue and scene, summary, and musing. Time for the sharing of work and a free-write are included in the meetings. 1–3:30 p.m. All Levels

WORKSHOPS

BOOK TALK

t Guid e Work shop & Even

Sara Mansfield Taber

 What’s

Meet Joe

The Writer’s Toolbox

8 Tuesdays Bethesda

WORKSHOPS

& Eve nt Gu ide

workshops

Applying and Preparing for Your M.F.A.

Winter/ Spring

2016

s Year 40

EVENTS

14 WORKSH

OPS

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9/27–11/15 $360

Your Story?

Dave Singleton What’s your story? What tales have you been dying to tell, but haven’t had the time or structure to put pen to paper? Get started and write about your life in this hands-on, practical course in which you’ll write three pieces in four weeks and get individual feedback from the instructor on each. Whether you have family stories you’d like to record for posterity or different moments of your life you want to capture, you’ll learn new strategies every week to help you write effectively about your life. Take advantage of these practical tools (and deadlines) while you get supportive feedback. 4 Weeks Online

N/A 9/28–10/19 Intermediate/Advanced $195

To reserve ad space, email Vanessa.MalloryKotz@Writer.org Members receive an additional 10% discount!

Ad Rates (4-color included) Ad Size

1 Issue

2 Issues

3 Issues

Full page

$450

$405

$380

Half Page

$225

$200

$190

Third Page

$200

$180

$170

Quarter Page

$120

$105

$90

Writing the Family Memoir

Sixth Page

$65

$60

$55

Cheryl Somers Aubin

Business Card

$45

Have you always wanted to write your family memoir, but weren’t sure how to start? Join other

Book Talk Listing

$50

$45

$40

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

WORKSHOPS emerging writers as you learn about the different types of family memoirs and how to work on them. In this four-hour class, participants will take part in many writing exercises, including writing prompts based on photographs and music. After each writing exercise, participants will have a chance to share their work in small groups. Participants will leave the class with a greater understanding of family memoirs, resources available to help them, and enthusiasm to begin or continue their family memoirs. There will be a 15-minute lunch break. 1 Tuesday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

10/4 $80

1 Saturday 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

11/5 $80

Ellen Ryan

workshops

Learn how professionals get travel articles published for pay. Discover ways to generate ideas, conduct good research, and how to structure a story, including sidebars, art, and other elements. A former editor for Washingtonian magazine, the instructor will be your guide on how to pitch ideas to editors, package your work professionally, handle contracts and negotiations, organize your files and records, and what to keep in mind for tax time. 7–9:30 p.m. 10/6–11/10 Beginner/Intermediate $270

 How

to Pitch Magazines and Sell Your Work

Jenny J. Chen Learn to pitch local and national magazines, get bylines, and get paid for your work! We’ll drill down into the mechanics of selling your articles and essays, from how to research markets to how to overcome pitch-block, imposter syndrome, and fear of failure. Workshop some of your real-life pitches for feedback from peers and a widely published journalist. And, most importantly, learn the delicate etiquette of networking for referrals. This course is perfect for writers who are looking to pitch journalistic or nonfiction essays. 4 Weeks N/A 10/15–11/5 Online Beginner $195

Life Stories Intensive Lynn Schwartz Whether you want to write a memoir, blog, college essay, letter to your granddaughter, or use your own life as the basis for fiction, life story writing requires openness and insight. Learn to identify your story’s core and to engage the reader through fictional techniques. Participants will leave inspired to begin or to improve a work-in-progress. 1 Saturday Bethesda

8 Mondays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 10/24–12/12 Intermediate/Advanced $360

 OUT-Writing:

An LGBT-Focused Memoir Workshop

Dave Singleton

Travel Writing

6 Thursdays Bethesda

nonfiction. A variety of readings and exercises, along with time to share and give feedback on participant work, will help writers produce polished essays based on their own reporting or from prompts provided by the instructor.

9:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 10/15 All Levels $50

From coming out, to fighting oppression, to exploring the world through an LGBT lens, what’s your story? What are the tales you want to tell, but haven’t had the time or structure to put pen to paper? This hands-on, practical course gives you the deadlines and supportive feedback you need to write three pieces in four weeks. Exercises will show you how to develop disparate memories and thoughts into a meaningful and organized form. Individual feedback from the instructor on each essay, plus new strategies every week, will help you write effectively about your life. 4 Weeks Online

N/A All Levels

10/26–11/16 $195

Writing Personal Essays Christine Koubek Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss— these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore. In this workshop, participants will consider essays from magazines and newspapers to examine the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. Writers will generate new material each week through in-class exercises, plus receive feedback on two short essays. Note: No meeting November 23. 6 Wednesdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 10/26–12/7 Beginner/Intermediate $270

Writing Nonfiction for Kids Gina Hagler The nonfiction market for children is booming as a result of the Common Core. Standards call for informational text in the primary grades. What does it take to write a strong piece of nonfiction for kids? How can narrative techniques be used to bring the story behind the facts to life? In this course, you’ll learn which details matter most, how narrative techniques can be used to engage the reader, and how to write for—not down to—young readers. Note: No meeting November 24. 6 Thursdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 11/3–12/15 Beginner/Intermediate $270

Finding Structure For Your BookLength Memoir

Writing Narrative Nonfiction: Beyond Basics

Janice Gary

Gina Hagler Theory is great, but writing is better! In this class, participants will hone their skill for writing narrative

In memoir, shaping story from a lifetime of experience can seem like an overwhelming task. But once the narrative arc is established, the way forward becomes clearer. In this workshop, participants

The Writer’s Center will write their way into the heart of the story and explore structure, studying ways various memoirs have been put together and applying lessons learned to their own memoirs. Participants should expect to come away with a better sense of the shape of their story, and how to assemble the bones that will support the final piece. 2 Saturdays Bethesda

2–4 p.m. All Levels

11/5–11/12 $80

Public Writing for Physicians, Scientists, and Health Professionals Peter Lovenheim If you are a professional with a scientific or healthrelated background, you may not have learned the most compelling way to explain your work to others. Join the public conversation about important issues in your field in this workshop. Learn how to write clear, clean prose—with minimal jargon— and in a narrative style that will educate, engage, and persuade the general reader. Specific forms covered will include the Op-Ed, personal essay, and narrative nonfiction article. 6 Mondays Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

11/7–12/12 $375

4 Essays/Memoirs, 4 Weeks Sara Mansfield Taber Write and write some more! This workshop offers stimulating prompts each week to get you started or to break writer’s block. Class time will be spent writing, sharing work, examining examples of inspiring published works, and discussing craft. By the end of four weeks, you’ll have four pieces on their way to completion. 4 Tuesdays Bethesda

1–3:30 p.m. All Levels

11/29–12/20 $195

Poetry  Poetry Meg Eden

Chapbook Workshop

Develop the skills for forming and submitting poetry chapbooks. Lessons will focus on identifying what makes a chapbook, exploring your voice in the chapbook medium, choosing and ordering poems within the chapbook, and how to research potential publishers. By the end of the course, writers will have a chapbook manuscript ready to send out to publishers. 4 Weeks N/A 9/12–10/3 Online Advanced $195

Practice Exphrastic! 4 Poems in 4 Weeks Melanie Figg The visual arts have inspired poets for centuries—and for good reason! In this workshop, you’ll generate new poems inspired by paintings and sculpture. We’ll also read and learn from poems by William Carlos Williams, Jorie Graham, Charles Wright, Lisel Mueller, Rainer Marie Rilke, Brenda O’Shaughnessy, and Louise Erdrich—exploring

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WORKSHOPS clarifying the stylistic possibilities inherent in the work. Each week, poets will bring copies of oneto-three pages of poetry for the entire class, which will be workshopped the following week. This time allows for attentive reading and re-reading of the work over the week before the next class. Note: No meeting October 19.

4 Thursdays Bethesda

8 Wednesdays 7–9 p.m. Bethesda Advanced

7–9 p.m. All Levels

9/15–10/6 $135

9/21–11/16 $290

Writing From Your Roots: A Multicultural Poetry Workshop

Poetry of Place: Passport to the Real and Imagined

Maritza Rivera

Lucian Mattison

What is your favorite meal? What was your first job? What customs and traditions do you follow? Although these may sound like security questions, these and other topics will unlock commonalities among all cultures. Looking to the poetry of Rita Dove, Martin Espada, Leslea Newman, Richard Blanco, DJ Renegade, Naomi Shihab-Nye, and other poets, this workshop is designed to explore other cultures through writing and uncover your poetic roots.

Crafting poetry with a strong sense of place is a skill that every poet should continue to develop throughout their lifetime. This course aims to bring place and time to the forefront of the standard workshop format and emphasize the development of a tangible atmosphere in a written work. Using examples from classic and contemporary works of literature, workshop participants will start in real places and then move into hypothetical, imagined, and surreal places in their poems.

4 Saturdays Bethesda

1–3 p.m. All Levels

9/17–10/8 $135

4 Saturdays Bethesda

1–3 p.m. All Levels

10/29–11/19 $135

4 Thursdays Capitol Hill

7–9 p.m. 9/22–10/13 Intermediate/Advanced $135

 Poetry

Bianca Stone “Poetry comics” bring together art and words to communicate a message or idea. Participants in this workshop will look at examples, discuss them, and create new work. We’ll be looking at such poets-artists as Joe Brainard, John Ashbery, Lynda Barry, Claudia Rankine, Dorothy Iannone, and others. Participants need only bring a desire to create, with a background in poetry and a willingness to explore new pathways. No experience in drawing or comic arts necessary. 6 Weeks Online

“I am amazed by the amount I learned,” participants say about this popular class! Focusing on one aspect (imagery, line, sound, form) of craft in each session, participants will learn by close readings of great poems, writing a poem each week, and fun exercises. The instructor offers helpful, encouraging feedback and writes significant notes on poems created during the course. This workshop will use The Poet’s

Sheer joy, the twists and turns of sound and language, “the kidnapped thrill of drastic weather,” make the effort of writing and reading fun. Fun poetry doesn’t have to be funny—though it often is—it also can be somber, elegiac, and possibly even horrific. Participants will experiment with subject, syntax, and form for a different kind of poem each week. We will read and discuss selections from a wide range of contemporary and classic poets such as Edgar Allan Poe, Stevie Smith, Kay Ryan, and Dean Young. 9/17–10/22 $215

Poetry I Nan Fry What makes a poem a poem? This workshop will explore key elements, such as imagery, metaphor, voice, tone, and sound, by reading and discussing poems from a variety of periods and cultures, both for inspiration and to see what works. Writers will experiment with in-class exercises and out-of-class assignments to generate new work and to sharpen observation and imagination, two sources of poetry that we all have within us. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a stronger sense of these elements, how they interact, and will have written several drafts of poems. 9/20–10/18 $225

Advanced Poetry Rod Smith You’ve been writing poetry for a while now, but everyone needs feedback. In this workshop, explore your writing with an eye toward multiplying and

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

10/3–11/7 $270

Melanie Figg

Hailey Leithauser

5 Tuesdays 10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

N/A All Levels

Poetry I : An Introduction To Craft & Beauty

Fun Poetry

6 Saturdays 2–4 p.m. Bethesda Advanced

Comics

workshops

issues like voice, perspective, and imagery. No special knowledge of art is required. Participants will generate new poems, share their work with the group, and get a start on revising. The instructor will provide substantial feedback on all poems written during the course. Visual artists are especially encouraged to register.

WORKSHOPS Companion as a text, so please bring a copy to the first class. Note: No meeting on November 14. 6 Mondays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 10/10–11/21 Beginner/Intermediate $270

How Poems Begin “Let us go then, you and I, where the evening is spread out against the sky like a patient etherized upon a table...” Poets and poems are often remembered for their opening lines, such as this work by T. S. Eliot, but is there a “right” or at least a “preferred” way to begin a poem? In this workshop, we will explore some of the ways in which poets have traditionally chosen to open their poems and then look at some poems that break with tradition and still manage to grab the reader.

 Writing

1–4 p.m. All Levels

8 Weeks N/A 10/31–12/19 Online Beginner $360

Poetry II

Sue Ellen Thompson

1 Sunday Bethesda

writing of poems, seeing them as ways of being. Please bring a journal of any sort and a writing utensil to the first class.

10/23 $50

Comfortable

workshops

Charlotte Matthews Learn how to gain confidence in writing poetry! Through brief in-class prompted exercises and analyses of poems, participants will become increasingly comfortable with the genre. By week three, participants will submit their own drafts for workshopping with feedback from the class and the instructor. By the course’s end, participants should find themselves deeply engaged in the reading and

success by many contemporary poets. Marking a shift in the poem’s tone, subject, or logic, the volta has been compared to a change of key in music. In this workshop, we will explore how turning your attention in a new direction can open up a poem, allowing it to leap to another level of significance or meaning. 1 Saturday Annapolis

Nan Fry For more advanced poets, this workshop invites participants to explore patterns of imagery, extended metaphor, structure, repetition, and revision by reading and discussing poems from a variety of periods and cultures, both for inspiration and to see what works. Writers will experiment with in-class exercises and out-of-class assignments to generate new work and to sharpen observation and imagination, two sources of poetry that we all have within us. By the end of the workshop, participants will have a stronger sense of these elements, how they interact, and will have written several drafts of poems, perhaps a revision or two. 5 Tuesdays Bethesda

The Writer’s Center

10:30 a.m.–1 p.m. 11/1–11/29 Intermediate/Advanced $225

Turning Points: The Volta in Contemporary Poems Sue Ellen Thompson Although we associate the term “volta” with the traditional sonnet form, it has been used with great

1–4 p.m. All Levels

11/12 $50

DIY Haiku Holiday Cards Melanie Figg In this fun, hands-on class, you’ll write and refine small poems to turn into gifts for the holidays. In the first three sessions, participants will study the simplicity and challenges of short poems by reading Japanese masters of haiku and tanka (Basho, Issa, Buson, Komanchi, and Shikibu) as well as free verse poems by modern masters of brevity (Williams, Ryan, Clifton, and Levertov). Participants will revise one poem for printing. The final session will meet at Pyramid Atlantic in Hyattsville, Maryland for an extended class with a letterpress instructor. Each participant will print their own poem and take home handmade broadsides of their work. 3 Mondays, 1 Saturday 7–9 p.m. 11/28–12/12; 12/17 Bethesda All Levels $195

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WORKSHOPS A Matter of Time: Verb Tenses and Poetry

The Secrets to Publishing in Literary Magazines

Writing Great Screen Dialogue

Sue Ellen Thompson

Meg Eden

Should all lyric poems take place in the present? If you’re writing a narrative poem about something that happened in the past, do you have to use the past tense? This workshop will examine some of the approaches poets have used to manipulate time in their poems, focusing on how choosing the right tense and knowing how and when to shift verb tenses can add immediacy, introduce tension, or bring a poem to life.

Want to submit your work to magazines but don’t know how? In this workshop, we’ll talk about what literary magazines are, what editors are looking for in submissions, have a “translation” exercise, tips on how to get the most out of a lit mag, and the secrets to writing a great cover letter to get an editor’s attention. The skills you learn in this session can easily apply to other publication realms, including writing to agents and editors of small book presses. All participants will receive a complimentary magazine of their choice.

Great screenplays have great dialogue. In this course, participants will analyze the scenes of some of Hollywood’s best screenwriters focusing on how the dialogue lifts the scene and film to legendary status. After analyzing character language and phrases, sequencing of lines, pacing, conflict, theme, and character motivations, each participant will get a chance to have their own scenes critiqued and discussed.

1–4 p.m. All Levels

12/4 $50

Professional Writing Understanding Syntax Participants in this workshop will examine, through close reading of brief texts, the techniques writers use to construct their sentences and establish syntactic relationships within paragraphs. Each session will include a short lecture, analysis of sample texts, and discussion of participant exercises. Writers will practice basic sentence patterns, phrases, clauses, parallelism, and various forms of elegant prose. 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. All Levels

9/6–10/4 $225

Selling Your Point: Fundamentals of Persuasive Writing James Alexander Learn how to pack a powerful punch when writing to persuade! In this course, participants will learn the concepts and techniques for conceiving and developing message-driven persuasive writing materials and articles for publication. Focusing on the process of crafting newspaper op-eds and prepared speeches, participants will learn how to apply this knowledge to other persuasive writing models, including memos and emails. 6 Wednesdays Bethesda

7–9:30 p.m. 9/21–10/26 Beginner/Intermediate $270

Writing the Dreaded Query Letter Alan Orloff You’ve spent months (or years) of your life—not to mention copious amounts of blood, sweat, and tears—writing a dynamite novel. Don’t simply spend five minutes slapping together a weak query letter; you owe it to yourself to write a great one that will break through the slush-clutter at top literary agencies. In this workshop, you’ll learn how to entice your dream agent into reading your masterpiece by writing a tight query that really sings (while avoiding those pitfalls that will land your query in the trash). Bring four copies of a draft query and a red pen with lots of ink! Note: primarily intended for novel writers. 1 Saturday Bethesda

2–4:30 p.m. All Levels

1–4 p.m. All Levels

10/22 $50

Landing a Literary Agent Eva Langston

Edward Perlman

5 Tuesdays Bethesda

1 Saturday Bethesda

9/24 $50

In order to get a book published by a major publishing house, you need an agent. In this class, you will learn what an agent does for authors and where to find the right one for you. After studying sample query letters, you’ll practice writing one of your own to be critiqued by your classmates. Learn how to write Twitter pitches, handle conference pitch sessions, and other ways to land a literary agent. By the end of the workshop, you will be ready to send queries to the agents of your choice. Although you do not need to bring it to class, you should have a completed manuscript you are hoping to publish through traditional publishing. 2 Mondays Bethesda

7–9 p.m. All Levels

11/7–11/14 $80

Build Your Own Author Website Meg Eden All authors these days need a platform. In this workshop, we will discuss the importance and function of having an author website and will walk through the process of getting a custom domain, as well as actually building the website through Squarespace. Participants will be able to get real-time feedback on their website design. After the session, all participants will have some of their website finished—maybe all of it! Please bring a laptop or mobile device. 1 Saturday Bethesda

1–4 p.m. All Levels

12/3 $50

Stage and Screen

8 Wednesdays Bethesda

7–10 p.m. All Levels

9/14–11/2 $400

Playwriting: Dialogue Richard Washer Dialogue is the playwright’s primary tool for conveying a story that ultimately becomes a visual, aural, and emotional experience for an audience. In this workshop, we will look at various functions of dialogue and discuss how actors, designers, and directors use dialogue as a basis for transforming words on the page to life on stage. Although the focus in this session will be on playwriting, writers of all genres are welcome. 1 Thursday 7:30–10 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

9/15 $50

Writing for Film & Television Khris Baxter These are exciting times to be a screenwriter. With more shows and television channels than ever, the opportunities for inventive ways of storytelling increase daily. This hands-on workshop will guide screenwriters through the process of crafting a professional-grade screenplay and/or TV pilot. Participants will examine proven methods for adapting fiction and narrative nonfiction to the big screen, discuss strategies for promoting and marketing their screenplays or pilots, and work on advancing their careers as screenwriters. 1 Saturday Glen Echo

10 a.m.–4 p.m. All Levels

9/24 $100

1 Saturday Glen Echo

10 a.m.–4 p.m. All Levels

11/12 $100

Playwriting II: Intermediate Playwriting Richard Washer

Playwriting: Process Explore and attempt to demystify one of the more personal and varied aspects of a creative writer’s craft: process. We will look at strategies for getting started, first drafts, how to tackle self-criticism, and revision. Briefly, we will also discuss opportunities available once a draft is ready for workshop, rehearsals, and production. Although the focus in this session will be on playwriting, writers of all genres are welcome.

Now that you understand the basics of playwriting, this workshop will help you develop a complete work (10-minute, one-act, and full length plays). We will use exercises to jump-start the imagination, consider various approaches to the writing process, and define a feedback method designed to facilitate continued discovery through writing. We also will consider some of the structural implications in writing for the stage. By workshop end, the goal is to empower you with sufficient understanding of your process so you can finish a first draft.

1 Saturday 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Bethesda Beginner

8 Saturdays 10 a.m.–12:30 p.m. 10/1–11/19 Bethesda Intermediate $360

Richard Washer

9/10 $50

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

workshops

1 Sunday Bethesda

John Weiskopf

WORKSHOP LEADERS James Alexander has been writing professionally for more than 30 years with several of those years as a political speechwriter including at the Cabinet level. He worked as a by-lined newspaper reporter at The Charlotte Observer and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and also interned at The Washington Post. He later worked on Capitol Hill as a U.S. Congressional Fellow and as a Hill press secretary which included writing speeches and op-eds. As a ghostwriter, he penned dozens of opeds for political figures with publications in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Washington Post, and USA Today. Cheryl Somers Aubin earned an M.A. in writing from Johns Hopkins University. She’s a featured speaker at personal history writing symposia, writing conferences, and workshops. Her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines, and online journals. Aubin is the author of The Survivor Tree: Inspired by a True Story. More about her at: www.cherylaubin.com.

LEADERS

Khris Baxter is a screenwriter, producer, and co-founder of Boundary Stone Films (BSF). BSF develops, finances, and produces a wide range of projects for film and TV. Baxter has been a screenwriter for two decades and has taught screenwriting since 2004, most recently at M.F.A. in creative writing programs at Queens University and American University. He has been a judge for the annual Virginia Screenwriting Competition since 2004. Sandra Beasley is the author of Count the Waves (W.W. Norton, 2015); I Was the Jukebox (W.W. Norton, 2010), winner of the Barnard Women Poets Prize; Theories of Falling (New Issues, 2008); and Don’t Kill the Birthday Girl: Tales from an Allergic Life (Crown, 2011). Ananya Bhattacharyya is a Washington-based writer whose work has appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, Al Jazeera America, Washingtonian, VICE, The Baltimore Sun, and Reuters. She is an assignment editor at Washington Independent Review of Books and tweets @AnanyaBhatt. Hildie Block has been a writing instructor for 20 years at American University, George Washington University, and The Writer’s Center. She has published 50 short stories, and many essays and articles. Her book, Not What I Expected, debuted in 2007. In January 2012, she made her award winning short story “People” into a Kindle and Nook download.

Jennifer Buxton has an M.F.A. in fiction from the University of Virginia. Her fiction has appeared in Epoch, Puerto del Sol, and Blue Penny Quarterly. She has taught writing in a variety of venues, including the University of Virginia and the UVA Young Writers Workshop. Nancy Naomi Carlson is a poet, translator, and editor, and has won grants from the NEA, the Maryland State Arts Council, and the Arts & Humanities Council of Montgomery County. Individual poems and translations have appeared in APR, FIELD, The Georgia Review, Poetry, and Prairie Schooner. More about her at: www.nancynaomicarlson.com. Mary Carpenter writes a health column for the website mylittlebird.com and leads writing workshops in the D.C. area. She reported on medicine for TIME and elsewhere, has written young adult books about Temple Grandin and dolphins lost in Hurricane Katrina, and published essays in The Washington Post and literary journals. Jenny J. Chen is a is an award-winning science and health journalist. Her work has appeared in The Atlantic, The Washington Post, NewYorkTimes.com, Shape, Marie Claire, and many more. Brenda W. Clough is a novelist and short story and nonfiction writer. Her novels include How Like a God, The Doors of Death and Life, and Revise the World. She has been a finalist for both the Hugo and the Nebula awards. She has been teaching science fiction and fantasy workshops at The Writer’s Center for more than ten years. Tyrese L. Coleman is the fiction editor for District Lit, an online journal of writing and art, and a graduate of the Writing Program at Johns Hopkins University. A 2016 Kimbilio Fiction Fellow and Virginia Quarterly Review nonfiction scholar, her work has appeared in publications such as PANK, Washingtonian, The Rumpus, and listed in Wigleaf’s Top 50 (very) short fictions. Susan Coll is the author of five novels, most recently The Stager, a New York Times and Chicago Tribune Editor’s Choice. Her other books include Acceptance–which was made into a television movie starring Joan Cusack–Beach Week, Rockville Pike, and karlmarx.com. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post, NPR.org, atlantic.com, and The Millions. She has run many fiction workshops at The Writer’s Center and also worked at Politics & Prose bookstore overseeing events and programs for five years.

The Writer’s Center Novelist and writing coach John DeDakis is a former editor on CNN’s “The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer.” DeDakis is the author of four mystery-suspense novels. His fourth novel, Bullet in the Chamber, deals in part with the death of his son in 2011 due to an accidental heroin overdose. More about him at: www.johndedakis.com. Meg Eden’s work has been published in Rattle, Drunken Boat, Poet Lore, and Gargoyle. She teaches at the University of Maryland. She has four poetry chapbooks, and her novel Post-High School Reality Quest is forthcoming from California Coldblood, an imprint of Rare Bird Lit. More about her at: www.megedenbooks.com. Melanie Figg has been teaching creative writing for 25 years at a variety of venues and in private consultation. She is also a creativity and career coach, as well as a nonprofit fundraiser. She holds an M.F.A. in poetry and curates Literary Art Tours in D.C .galleries. More about her at: www.melaniefigg.net. Celia (C.S.) Friedman has been writing science fiction and fantasy best sellers since 1985. Her science fiction novel This Alien Shore was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and The Madness Season recently appeared on The Washington Post’s list of Top Ten Recommended Books. Her next novel, Dreamweaver, will be released in December, and will be the third and final volume of The Dreamwalker Chronicles. Nan Fry has published two books of poetry: Relearning the Dark and Say What I Am Called. Her work has appeared in numerous journals, anthologies, and textbooks. She received an EdPress Award for excellence in educational journalism and taught at the Corcoran College of Art + Design for more than 20 years. Janice Gary is the author of Short Leash: a Memoir of Dog Walking and Deliverance, winner of the Eric Hoffer Prize, Nautilus Book Award, and the Sarton Award. She is a professor for the master of liberal studies program at Arizona State University and conducts memoir workshops throughout the country. T. Greenwood is the award-winning author of 10 novels, including Two Rivers, Bodies of Water, and Where I Lost Her. She teaches for The Writer’s Center, Grossmont College, and San Diego Writer’s Ink. Gina Hagler is an award-winning nonfiction writer who covers science and technology for a lay audience. Her book about

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WORKSHOP LEADERS

Aaron Hamburger was awarded the Rome Prize by the American Academy of Arts and Letters for his story collection The View From Stalin’s Head. His novel Faith For Beginners was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Poets & Writers, and Tin House. Claire Handscombe graduated with an M.F.A. in 2015. Her essays, poetry, and journalistic pieces have appeared in The Washington Post, Washington Life, and Washingtonian. Ellen Herbert’s novel, The Last Government Girl, won the Maryland Writers’ Best Novel Award. Short stories in her collection, Falling Women and Other Stories, have won a PEN Fiction and a Virginia Fiction Fellowship. Her writing has appeared in The Washington Post, First for Women, and literary magazines. Jane Hilberry’s most recent poetry collection is Still the Animals Enter (Red Hen Press, 2016). Her previous book, Body Painting, won the Colorado Book Award for Poetry. Her poems have appeared in The Hudson Review, Denver Quarterly, and Virginia Quarterly Review. She teaches Creativity and Creative Writing at Colorado College. Kathryn Johnson’s 40+ popular novels (nominated for the Agatha Award, winner of the Heart of Excellence and Bookseller’s Best Awards), include Victorian thrillers (writing as Mary Hart Perry) and a suspense series, “Affairs of State.” Her most recent book—The Extreme Novelist—is based on her popular course at The Writer’s Center. Beth Kanter has been writing and publishing essays, books, and articles for more than 20 years. Her work has appeared in Paste, The Kitchn, Parents, American Baby, Shape, and The Chicago Tribune. She is the author of Washington D.C. Chef’s Table, Day Trips from Washington D.C., and Food Lovers’ Guide to Washington D.C. Christine Koubek is an award-winning essayist and travel writer. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post; Brain Child; Coastal Living; Washingtonian; Club Mid, and others. She is a regular contributor to Bethesda and Arlington magazines. Koubek earned an M.F.A. in creative writing from Fairfield University, and has held residencies

at the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and Ragdale. More about her at: www.christinekoubek.com. Eva Langston earned an M.F.A. from the University of New Orleans, and her fiction has been published in many journals and anthologies. She is the Features Editor for Compose Journal and is a part-time middle school tutor. She writes novels for young people. Hailey Leithauser is the author of Swoop (Graywolf, 2013), which won the Poetry Foundation’s Emily Dickinson First Book Award, the Towson Prize for Literature, and was a finalist for the Kate Tufts Discovery Award. Her work appears widely in journals and anthologies including Agni, Field, The Gettysburg Review, Poetry, The Yale Review, and has been selected three times for Best American Poetry. Christopher Linforth holds an M.F.A. from Virginia Tech. His debut short story collection, When You Find Us We Will Be Gone, was released in 2014. He has published fiction and nonfiction in Gargoyle, Southern Humanities Review, The Rumpus, Notre Dame Review, and Denver Quarterly. Peter Lovenheim is an author and journalist whose articles have appeared in The New York Times, New York magazine, and other publications. His most recent book, In the Neighborhood: The Search for Community on an American Street, One Sleepover at a Time (Penguin Books), was a Barnes & Noble Discover Book, a Books for a Better Life Award finalist, and received the inaugural Los Angeles-based Zocalo Public Square Book Prize. More about him at: peterlovenheim.com. Charlotte Matthews is the author of three collections: Still Enough to Be Dreaming, Green Stars, and Whistle What Can’t Be Said. Her poems have appeared in American Poetry Review, The Mississippi Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, and Ecotone. Her honors include fellowships from The Chatauqua Institute, The Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, and The Virginia Center for Creative Arts. She holds an M.F.A from Warren Wilson College’s Program for Writers and a B.A. from the University of Virginia. She is assistant professor in The Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Program at The University of Virginia. Lucian Mattison is an Argentinian American poet. His full-length collection, Peregrine Nation, won the 2014 Dogfish Head The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

Poetry Prize from The Broadkill River Press. He is the winner of the 2016 Puerto Del Sol Poetry Prize ,and his poems appear in Four Way Review, Hobart, Muzzle, Nashville Review, and elsewhere. His fiction appears in Fiddleblack and is forthcoming in Nano Fiction and Per Contra. He works at The George Washington University and is an associate editor for Big Lucks. More about him at: www.lucianmattison.com. Nicole Miller is a writer, editor, and teacher. She has published memoir in New Letters and Arts & Letters magazine and fiction in The May Anthology of Short Stories, edited by Jill Paton Walsh and Sebastian Faulks. In 2014, she won the Dorothy Cappon Prize for the Essay. Miller earned an M.Phil in Victorian literature from Lincoln College, Oxford, a Ph.D. in English at University College, London, and an M.F.A. at Emerson College where she held a fellowship in creative writing. More about her at: www.inthesmallhours.com. John Morris has taught for many years at The Writer’s Center. He has published fiction, poetry, and criticism in more than 90 magazines in the U.S. and Great Britain. When I Snap My Fingers You Will Remember Everything, a story collection, will be published by No Record Press in September. His work has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and reprinted in Twentieth Century Literary Criticism and Anatomy of a Short Story (Continuum Press). He is currently working on his first novel, Staring Down the Sun. Alicia Oltuski is the author of Precious Objects, a Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. Her work has appeared on NPR’s Berlin Stories, in W magazine, and other publications. She holds an M.F.A. in creative writing from Columbia University, where she received a David Berg Foundation Fellowship, and earned a B.A. and M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania. Alan Orloff’s first novel, Diamonds for the Dead, was an Agatha Award Finalist. He also wrote Killer Routine and Deadly Campaign for Midnight Ink. Writing as Zak Allen, he’s published The Taste, First Time Killer, and Ride-Along. His latest is Running From the Past from Kindle Press. More about him at: www.alanorloff.com. Edward Perlman is the publisher and senior editor of Entasis Press, an independent literary press publishing poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction. His poetry, essays, and reviews have appeared in numerous journals

LEADERS

fluid dynamics was published by Springer Verlag. Her next book will be about bridge engineering. She has also written about science and technology for children and young adults for several publishers.

WORKSHOP LEADERS including Tin House, The Sewanee Theological Review, Passages, Outside In, and The Living Church, and in various anthologies. He teaches at Johns Hopkins University, where he was the master’s program poetry advisor. He holds a B.A. in philosophy from William and Mary, an M.A. in education from Virginia Tech, and an M.A. in writing from Johns Hopkins University. Leslie Pietrzyk is the author of two novels and a collection of short stories, most recently, This Angel on My Chest, awarded the 2015 Drue Heinz Literature Prize. Her work has appeared in Washingtonian, Salon, Gettysburg Review, and The Sun. She teaches in the Converse low-residency M.F.A. program. Laura Probert, MPT, is a holistic physical therapist, published author, teacher, poet, and black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She’s serious about integrating mind, body, and soul as a journey to passion and power, and it’s her mission to show you how. Her writing has appeared in Huffington Post, MindBodyGreen, Best Self Magazine, The Wellness Universe, Wild Sister Magazine, PersonalGrowth.com, Tiny Buddha, and The Elephant Journal. More about her at: www.BraveHealer.com.

LEADERS

Mary Quattlebaum is the author of 23 award-winning children’s books, including Pirate vs. Pirate, Jo MacDonald Saw a Pond, The Hungry Ghost of Rue Orleans, and the Jackson Jones chapter book series. She also writes for children’s media, reviews children’s books, speaks frequently at schools, and teaches in the M.F.A. in writing for children and YA program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts. More about her at: www.maryquattlebaum.com. Elizabeth Rees is the author of Every Root a Branch and four award-winning chapbooks, most recently, Tilting Gravity. Her poems have appeared in Partisan Review, Kenyon Review, AGNI, Mid-American Review, and New England Review. She has taught at Harvard University, Boston College, the U.S. Naval Academy, Howard University, Johns Hopkins University, and has taught at The Writer’s Center since 1990. Rees also works as a “poet-in-the-schools” for the Maryland State Arts Council. Maritza Rivera is a Puerto Rican poet and Army veteran. She founded the weekly Mariposa Poetry Series and hosts the annual Mariposa Poetry Retreat at the Capital Retreat Center in Waynesboro, Pa. Rivera is the author of About You, a collection of poetry “for

women and the men they love,” A Mother’s War, written during her son’s two tours in Iraq, Baker’s Dozen, a limited edition in the Brazilian Cordel tradition, and Twenty-One: Blackjack Poems. Ellen Ryan is the former editor of Washingtonian magazine, has been published in AARP, Outside, Good Housekeeping, USNews.com, Washingtonian, ForbesLife Executive Woman, Sister2Sister, and many other regional/national publications. Sarah Schmelling’s humor has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Slate, Parents magazine, and The Best of McSweeney’s Internet Tendency. She’s the author of a humor book, Ophelia Joined the Group Maidens Who Don’t Float, and holds a master’s degree from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Lynn Schwartz is a story development editor and ghostwriter. Her plays have been performed in NYC, including Lincoln Center. She founded the Temple Bar Literary Reading Series in NYC, has received two Individual Artist Awards in Fiction from the Maryland State Arts Council, and teaches fiction at St. John’s College. Dave Singleton is the author of two nonfiction books, The Mandates and Behind Every Great Woman, and the newly released memoir anthology CRUSH, Writers Reflect on Love, Longing and the Power of Their First Celebrity Crush (Harper Collins, April 2016). His honors include the Media Industry Award for Outstanding Exclusive Coverage, GLAAD Award for Outstanding Multimedia Journalism, and two NLGJA Excellence in Online Journalism awards. His work has appeared in The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, the BBC, Washingtonian, Harper’s Bazaar, and OUT. More about him at: www.davesingleton.com. Rod Smith is the author of 10 books and pamphlets of poetry including Touché (Wave, 2015), What’s the Deal (Song Cave, 2010), and Deed (U. Iowa, 2008). Smith is the editor/publisher of Edge Books and the journal Aerial, and manager of Bridge Street Books in Washington, D.C. He has taught at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, the Maryland Institute College of Art, George Mason University, and other institutions. He edited The Selected Letters of Robert Creeley (U. Cal., 2014) with Peter Baker and Kaplan Harris. Lynn Stearns has led workshops at The Writer’s Center, BlackRock Center for the

The Writer’s Center Arts, Johns Hopkins University, Strathmore, and other venues, and served as associate fiction editor for the Potomac Review. Her flash fiction has appeared in Flash!Point, Gravity Dancers, Minimus, and in museums, galleries, and bus stations. Bianca Stone is a poet and visual artist. She is the author of the poetry collections Someone Else’s Wedding Vows, Poetry Comics From the Book of Hours, and is contributing artist/collaborator on a special illustrated edition of Anne Carson’s Antigonick from New Directions. Stone co-founded, and edits Monk Books and chairs The Ruth Stone Foundation, based in Vermont and Brooklyn, NY. Mathangi Subramanian, Ed.D., is an award winning writer and educator who believes stories have the power to change the world. In 2016, her novel, Dear Mrs. Naidu, won the South Asia Book Award and was shortlisted for the Hindu-Goodbooks Prize. A Bethesda native, she currently lives and works in India. Sara Mansfield Taber is the author of the award-winning memoir, Born Under an Assumed Name: The Memoir of a Cold War Spy’s Daughter, two books of literary journalism: Bread of Three Rivers: The Story of a French Loaf, Dusk on the Campo: A Journey in Patagonia, and the writing guide, Of Many Lands: Journal of a Traveling Childhood. Her essays, memoirs, travel, and opinion pieces have appeared in The Washington Post and literary magazines, and have been produced for public radio. Kristin Clark Taylor is an author, freelance editor and journalist. A former White House communications strategist and a member of USA Today’s original creation and launch team, her four books have been published by Random House/Doubleday and Penguin/Berkley. Sue Ellen Thompson’s fifth book of poems, They, was published in 2014. An instructor at The Writer’s Center since 2007, she previously taught at Middlebury College, Binghamton University, the University of Delaware, and Central CT State University. She received the 2010 Maryland Author Award from the Maryland Library Association. Joan Waites is the award-winning illustrator of more than 45 books for children and a mixed-media artist featured in national magazines. She has taught at the Corcoran School of Art and Design and now teaches a varity of arts classes at her studio. More about her at: www.joanwaites.com.

View online at www.writer.org/guide

WORKSHOP LEADERS will develop and produce feature films, cable television series, documentaries, and internet media projects. White Rock Pictures, LLC currently has nine feature films in development, and two documentaries.

Richard Washer, M.F.A., is a founding member of Charter Theater and currently works with First Draft as a playwright and director. His plays have been produced in the Washington D.C. area and elsewhere. He holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia) and an M.F.A. from American University.

Basil White is a speechwriter, published joke writer for Judy Brown’s Squeaky Clean Comedy: 1,512 Dirt-Free Jokes from the Best Comedians, Comedy Thesaurus, and Larry Getlen’s The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Jokes, public speaker, and business humor consultant. White helps people add humor to presentations, advertising, movie scripts, and user manuals. He also writes articles and online courses on creative technology writing, usability, and information design. More about him at: www.basilwhite.com.

John Weiskopf teaches screenwriting at American University in the graduate M.F.A. film program. He earned an M.F.A. in film production from UCLA where he later joined the extension faculty. He has written 12 motion picture screenplays and is writing two others. With a business partner, he has formed a Washington, D.C. production company called White Rock Pictures, LLC that

Cherrie Woods is a 15-year PR veteran who has held staff and management positions at a variety of arts organizations. She currently serves as membership chair on the Baltimore Public Relations Council board. She released her book, Where Do I Start? 10 PR Questions and Answers to Guide SelfPublished Authors in 2016.

Celebrating

127 years of POET LORE

America’s original poetry journal, discovering new writers since 1889. poetlore.com Published by TheWriter’s Center, writer.org The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

LEADERS

Julie Wakeman-Linn has edited the Potomac Review since 2005. Her short stories have appeared in many literary magazines. Her novel, Chasing the Leopard, Finding the Lion, a finalist for Barbara Kingsolver’s Bellwether Prize, was published by Mkuki Na Nyota in 2012. Her short story collection was a finalist for the WWPH 2014 Fiction prize.

Write Who You Are By Kristen Zory King

s Maya Angelou notes in her important memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, there is “no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” Working at The Writer’s Center, I return to this quote often to remind myself of the power in language and literature and the strength gained in sharing creativity with a community of like-minded people. It is a gift to see this in action, to watch workshop and program participants, event patrons, and community members undergo a transformation when given the opportunity to voice the untold story inside of them. I had one such opportunity at the recent reading and reception for our Write Who You Are program. A collaborative effort between The Writer’s Center and the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, Write Who You Are gives voice to the stories that immigration statistics do not. In this program, adult students work with a local author to write poetry and personal essay. Storytelling and poetry provide an opportunity for students to learn English in a new and creative way, greatly expanding their vocabulary, writing ability, and communication skills. Not only are students learning a new language, but also they are endeavoring to celebrate their identity in the course of integrating a new culture. At the end of the course, the school hosts a reading and reception for students, and the result is magical. Readers were: Alberto Gutiérrez, Nga Hang Khu, Pramila Hatwal, Karent Hinestroza, Guido Giménez, Selene Lara Hernández, Yanira Larios, Olena Lloyd, Josue López, Kedija Manora, Yimi Rivera, Natnael Tsigab, and Etelvina Zurita. From the exuberant presentation of “My Love For You is My Mind’s Dimensions” by Guido Giménez to the quiet and touching reading of “Dear Paco” by Jose López, a wave of electricity moved through the audience as we shared their sorrows, joys, and stories. As one program par-

Students from the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School attend a celebration and launch party for a book of the poems and essays they composed in the Write Who You Are Program. Photos by Erica Sanchez

ticipant noted, “This program has helped my ideas burst in my mind.” The Writer’s Center published an anthology of the writings, providing a copy to each student and program teacher, and offered them the opportunity to take further creative writing courses at the Center, free of charge. In her foreword to the anthology, program leader Naomi Ayala writes: “Their writing gives a human face to newcomers and immigrant America and proves that to produce a gem that moves and inspires, that captures the human spirit, one’s process of language acquisition can be, not an impediment, but one’s greatest asset.” This program is made possible by generous funding from The Morris & Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, contributions from the Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, and individual donations. For more information on Write Who You Are, outreach initiatives, or to help support this and similar programs, please contact me at kristen.zory.king@writer.org.

View online at www.writer.org/guide

Below: Instructor Naomi Ayala accepts flowers and balloons for her inspiring guidance from teachers at the school. Right: Creative writing students take a bow after their reading. Photos by Erica Sanchez

Listen to Your Inner Voice Emanuela Ruíz Leave all the bad things on paper. Clean your mind and feel the air. Open your mind to positive thoughts. Get away from bad energy. Clean your mind and feel the air connected to the universal. Get away from bad energy. Keep going in your life with clean thoughts. Get connected to the universal. Unplug everything next to you. Keep going in your life with clean thoughts.

Village

Listen to your inner voice.

Billy Ávila Playing and running, freedom in the fields. Feeling the air in my face, eating fresh fruit from the trees— when I thought my world was pink.

Basket Jinsong Wang The sweet memories of my lovely mom bring everything we need with them.

The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

PARTNER PROFILE

The Writer’s Center

Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company By Jessica Flores

workshops

oolly Mammoth Theatre Company has been a destination for innovative dramatic productions for 36 years. The organization explores the edges of theatrical style and human experience by developing, producing, and promoting new plays by artists from diverse backgrounds. Earlier this year, The Writer’s Center formed a partnership with the theater as a way to make the dramatic arts more accessible to its members, and to seek writing inspiration from talented playwrights. Members of The Writer’s Center get tickets for only $35 when using the code TWC at checkout on the theater’s website. The new season promises to be most adventurous season yet. The next six shows focus on the emotional knowledge of character. Kiss, by Chilean playwright

Guillermo Calderón, deals with the constrained relationship between oppression and art. Clare Barron’s Baby Screams Miracle visits a family in the midst of a storm, both literal and metaphorical. Nilaja Sun tells the story of a Puerto Rican neighborhood in Pike St. Gender takes the center stage in Taylor Mac’s Hir when war veteran Isaac returns home to find his family transformed. The Second City’s Black Side of the Moon presents stand-up and sketch artists who offer introspective and comedic analysis of Black identity in America. “What really separates us is that we’re willing to take risks on new content, ideas, and structures that push the envelope,” says Howard Shalwitz, artistic director and founder. “New generations need to create a new form

for theater, not just new plays,” he added. Audiences in the award-winning 272-seat theater should expect high artistry—through form as in the upcoming Collective Rage: A Play in Five Boops, in which five women named Betty play out their desires in an absurdist romantic comedy—or through subject matter, such as last season’s An Octoroon, which confronts race and identity. Established in D.C. in 1980 by Howard Shalwitz, Roger Brady, and Linda Reinisch, Woolly Mammoth began as a small collective of actors with a passion for delivering new and boundary-pushing plays. At the time, many of the region’s well-known companies were just beginning, including Arena Stage, The Kennedy Center, and The Shakespeare Theatre. The city’s diversity was part of the reason the company was founded in the nation’s capital. “When we started, we had two main impulses,” Shalwitz said, “experimentation with new kinds of theatrical expression and civic provocation with a push towards social change.” Tickets can be purchased at woollymammoth.net or at the door. Consider a special package, from discounted six-pack subscriptions for up to six shows to Pay-What-You-Can-Nights on the first two nights of a performance.

View online at www.writer.org/guide

BOOK TALK The Survivor Tree Cheryl Somers Aubin ISBN: 978-0983833406

A month after 9/11, workers discovered a badly injured Callery Pear Tree under debris. She was rescued. Over the years, the tree, although still bearing scars, grew tall and strong. This story imaginatively describes the experience, memories, and feelings of that tree throughout her healing and her eventual return home. Amazon.com

Towards the Build Up of Character Marva Boatman ISBN: 978-0-9786865-0-5

Towards the Build Up of Character offers a moral and character building vocabulary for children. The book provides examples of behavior to discuss and room for children to write responses. Illustrations present children with a view of proper reactions to situations and allows them to form a correct response, enhancing their reasoning ability. www.marvaboatman.com

Portraits Higgs Boson ISBN: 9781508523840

Portraits is a play that revives the Theatre of the Absurd in a modern setting. A dysfunctional law firm, an inconvenient death, and a birthday surprise conspire to capture the divorce between action and language that we all experience as we muddle through life. Amazon.com

Case Not Closed: Diary of a Court Reporter CAI ASIN: B01GQKA7PK

A collection of writings based on cases

and happenings drawn from the author’s 10 years as a court reporter in the City of Washington, D.C. The stories are intense, the people in extremis. Short reflections provide context by supplying root causes of crime plus factors that impact our judicial system. Amazon.com

D is for Dudley & Other Nature Tales Ron Chandler ISBN: 978-1518767043

The title story is about children relying on their wits to try to save the largest terrapin in Tilghman Cove from being hunted by local fishermen. The book contains 10 other short stories about boys trying to find courage or understand the outdoors and girls struggling to realize their dreams. Amazon.com

The Human Cost of Welfare Lisa Conyers and Phil Harvey ISBN: 978-1440845345

The Human Cost of Welfare shows that welfare programs are doing more harm than good to their beneficiaries, despite soaring costs. In other words, and contrary to popular belief, these programs have backfired. Welfare reforms need reforming because current programs are keeping people poor, unhappy, and dependent on the government. Amazon.com

Cromwell’s Folly Ginny Fite ISBN: 978-1626943377

Now available! Good girls, it is commonly believed, are obsessed with bad boys. Usually, they get burned. Rarely The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

do they get revenge… Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble

Ambassador to a Small World: Letters from Chad Christopher E. Goldthwait ISBN: 978-0-9864353-7-9

Ambassador is a highly personal word-picture of Chad in remote central Africa, told from the vantage point of the longest-serving U.S. ambassador. The epistolary work describes the nation’s amazingly varied geography and touches on what the author learned from the Chadians, who make a rich life from meager material resources. Amazon.com

The Beauty of What Remains Susan Hadler ISBN: 978-1-63152-007-5

“Both an exploration of loss and a celebration of discovering connections, The Beauty of What Remains is a moving account of one woman’s efforts to make her family whole.” — Booklist Amazon.com

William Wells and the Struggle for the Old Northwest William Heath ISBN: 978-0806151199

Praised by reviewers as “superbly researched and written,” and “a must-read for anyone interested in our nation’s formative years,” this masterful work won two Spur Awards from the Western Writers of America for Best Historical Nonfiction and Best First Nonfiction Book, and was a finalist for the Ohioana Award. www.williamheathbooks.com

BOOK TALK A Place of Miracles: The Story of a Children’s Hospital in Kabul and the People Whose Lives Have Been Changed by It

Miraculous Air: Journey of a Thousand Miles through Baja California, the Other Mexico

Lee Hilling

ISBN: 978-1571313041

ISBN: 978-1-4787-4691-1

Arising during a time of seemingly never-ending war, the French Medical Institute for Children is one of Afghanistan’s most remarkable reconstruction success stories. The 23rd Annual Writer’s Digest SelfPublished Book Awards judged A Place of Miracles as an “incredibly interesting read.” Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and outskirtspress.com/aplaceofmiracles

C.M. Mayo Of Miraculous Air, Library Journal wrote, “With elegant prose and an artist’s eye for detail, C. M. Mayo may just have written one of the best books ever about Baja California. Highly recommended.” In paperback from Milkweed Editions and now on Kindle. CMMayo.com

ISBN: 978-4-8053-1347-3

Carol Jennings ISBN: 978-1625491794

Poet Carol Jennings communes with the spirit world–composers, poets, saints, parents, ex lovers, demons, suicides– and traverses a topography of sonatas and symphonies, her mother’s piano, her father’s drugstore, Greek ruins, beached whales, bad dreams, alter egos, fairy tales, glaciers, solstice, equinox, end of life, and a changing world. Amazon.com

For over 300 years, five generations of the Yamaki family lovingly cared for a rare bonsai tree. In 1945, the tree narrowly survived the bombing of Hiroshima. Some 30 years later, the bonsai found a new home at Washington’s National Arboretum and became a symbol of reconciliation and peace between former enemies. www.tuttlepublishing.com and hiroshimapeacetree.com

YESHU: A Novel for the OpenHearted (2nd ed.)

Justifiable Evil

Charles David Kleymeyer

ISBN: 9780996548151

Mario Pabón

ISBN: 1490353003

Written by a performing storyteller and social activist, this triple awardwinning novel reveals how a carpenter touches humankind forever. This fresh retelling of the New Testament saga is a lyrical, interfaith, and intergenerational adventure. Amazon.com

Jellyfish Have Eyes Joram Piatigorsky ISBN: 978-0-9965481-0-6

It’s the year 2047. Deep in the mangrove swamps of Puerto Rico, acclaimed government scientist Ricardo Sztein makes a breakthrough discovery: Jellyfish possess visual memories more sophisticated than humans. Rather than receiving acclaim, Ricardo’s findings are vilified, and he becomes ensnared in a witch-hunt for the misuse of government research funds. JoramP.com and JellyfishHaveEyes.com

The Peace Tree from Hiroshima Sandy Moore and Kazumi Wilds

The Dead Spirits at the Piano

The Writer’s Center

Puerto Rico is poised to petition Congress to become its 51st state. When terrorists invade, old San Juan falls into the hands of dangerous men willing to justify any evil to promote their cause. Will the old city recover from the attack, or bow to the inflicted evil? MarioJPabon.com, IPBooks.net, and Amazon.com

Café Select William Rivera ISBN: 978-0-9972629-0-2

Rivera’s poems rattle the senses. They compose order from chaos, and his eye is ever looking. With a Romantic’s ear for lyricism, Rivera’s poems explore mankind’s highs and lows, lust for beauty, and the folly of love. Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble

Memoir Your Way: Tell Your Story through Writing, Recipes, Quilts, Graphic Novels, and More. The Memoir Roundtable ISBN: 978-1510707511

Memoir Your Way inspires family storykeepers to create a memoir using a craft you already know or are inspired to learn. Accessible with broad appeal, this firstof-its-kind book extends the written memoir form to cookbooks, scrapbooks, quilts, and other forms of storytelling. Memoir Roundtable is a group of six authors. www.skyhorsepublishing.com

View online at www.writer.org/guide

BOOK TALK Cat Lady Mary Schmidt ISBN: 978-1-4834-3610-4

Maria may seem to be an odd old woman who feeds feral cats. Yet things are rarely as they seem. When faced with an impossible end of life wish, Maria and her cats prove that impossible is an illusion. Jaffalogue’s picks for best reads of 2015: BEST long narrative poem. Amazon.com

The Last Fifth Grade of Emerson Elementary Laura Shovan ISBN: 9780553521

Laura Shovan’s engaging, big-hearted debut is a time capsule of one class’s poems during a transformative school year. Families change and new friendships form as these terrific kids grow up and move on in this whimsical novel-in-verse about finding your voice and making sure others hear it. www.randomhousekids.com

Second Chances - From Truck Stop Waitress to Psychotherapist ISBN: 978-1530109357

Second Chances is an inspiring memoir written as a series of anecdotes that illustrate the compelling resilience of the human spirit. Patricia Spranger shows that, by trusting your intuition, following your heart, and taking new chances, you can remake your life and yourself into something more fulfilling and meaningful. www.createspace.com/5855477

Spring Issue Deadline: October 30th, 2016 vanessa.mallorykotz@ writer.org

Andrea Vojtko ISBN: 978-1-59594-574-7

Birders are among the keenest observers. Five five of the 11 short stories in this collection are inspired by imagination while birding or connecting with nature. The stories show the humor in human behavior with all of its incongruences and the humor in the esoteric interests that inexplicably consume us. Amazon.com

We distribute nearly 20,000 copies of The Writer’s Guide throughout the D.C.-metro area. Our readers find us in City Paper, at Metro stations, libraries, art centers, cafes and more!

a blog about the literary community in D.C. and beyond

Maryhelen Snyder Maryhelen Snyder is a recently retired psychotherapist and teacher, now in her 84th year. Her latest book of poems, Never the Loss of Wings, is a celebration of our immortal ‘wings’ even as we face our own mortality. Illustrations throughout by Pantea Amin Tofangchi. www.passagerbooks.com

$50 ($45 Members)

Stories for Birders and Other Observers

Never the Loss of Wings ISBN: 978-0-9836209-7-6

Advertise Your Book in Book Talk!

Patricia Spranger

• • • • • • •

Writing Craft & Publishing Advice from the Experts Meet the Instructor Poetry Prompts Monthly Events Spotlight Interviews with Writers & Cultural Leaders In-Depth Articles about Workshops & Opportunities Success Stories: Publications by Workshop Participants & Poet Lore Contributors

Check it out at http://thewriterscenter.blogspot.com/ The Writer’s Guide Fall 2016

ON THE SCENE

EVENTS

This page, clockwise, from top right: TV Journalist Chris Matthews graces the stage at our signature 40th anniversary event; Executive Director Joe Callahan greets guests at the VIP reception; Guests enjoy the reception before gathering in the auditorium; Office Manager Judson Battaglia mans book sales for the event; Intern Mairin Rivett assists attendees; Development & Membership Manager Kristen Zory King serves wine and mingles with VIP guests. Photos by Mignonette Dooley

View online at www.writer.org/guide

The Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Center

This page, clockwise: Writer, actor, and memoirist Martin Moran performs an excerpt from his latest work; Alice McDermott chats with admirers after her talk; Alice McDermott reads to a packed house this spring, photos by James Ebersole; Honorary Board Member E. Ethelbert Miller talks about poetry and activism with NBC4 Washington anchor Wendy Rieger, photo by Judson Battaglia; Gary Kotz, volunteer, and Genevieve DeLeon, Managing Editor of Poet Lore, work the check-in table during a VIP event, photo by Mignonette Dooley; Linda Pastan, Jean Nordhaus, and Jay Deshpande gather for their Sunday Open Door Reading, photo by Sunil Freeman.

The Writerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide Fall 2016

EVENTS

ON THE SCENE

WE ARE GRATEFUL

The Writer’s Center

Thank you to all of our Annual Fund Circle Level donors who have helped make our programs possible between July 2015—July 2016. Flannery O’Connor Circle—$10,000+ Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County Maryland State Arts Council Omega Foundation Langston Hughes Circle—$2,500+ The Christian Mixter and Linna Barnes Charitable Fund—Mark Cymrot & Janinne Dall’Orto—Sally Mott Freeman & John Freeman—Patricia Harris and Sandor Slager—John & Barbara Ann Hill—Joram P. Piatigorsky & Lona Piatigorsky Zora Neale Hurston Circle—$1,000+ Kenneth and Karen Ackerman— Margot Backas—Bydale Foundation—Timothy Crawford—Ann Friedman— Ann McLaughlin—William Reynolds and Nancy M. Lincoln Anton Chekhov Circle—$500+ The Catalyst Foundation Inc.—Naomi F. & James F. Collins—Felix A. Jakob—Virginia Grandison—Greenbaum Family Foundation—Melinda Halpert—Shelby Harper—Philip Harvey—Erika Horton—Joseph Kolar— Desiree Magney—James & Diana Mathews—The Viner Foundation—Ernst Volgenau Emily Dickinson Circle—$250+ A Friend of The Writer’s Center in Memory of Candida Fraze—Maria Bothwell—Brooks Cressman—Ellen Herbert— Laurel Huber—Kathryn King—Koubek Family Rainbow Fish Fund—Howard Lavine—Jim & Kate Lehrer—Perry Maiden—Margaret & Calvin Meleney—David Metz—Robert Morrissey—William & Louisa Newlin—Peter Pastan & Amy Kessler Pastan—Mary Pope Hutson—Claudia Smith—Craig Tregillus—Robert Winter Founder’s Circle—$100+ Kathy Elaine Anderson—Erin Archuleta—B. K. Atrostic—Worth Bateman—Carmelinda Blagg—Donald Bliss—Jody Bolz & Brad Northrup—Cynthia Boyle—Phil Budahn—Dana Cann—Nancy Carlson—Robert Carlson—Robert Carpenter—Patricia Carrico— J.T. Caruso—Alice Cave—David Churchill—Toni Clark—Susan Coll—J.K. Daniels—Christopher Dann—John DeDakis—Anthony Dobranski—Mary Dragoo—Linda Dreeben—Robert & Mary Eccles—Jonathan Eig—Peggy Elkind—Karen Elkins—Leslie Ekstrom— Shannon England—Linda Fannin—Ed Finn—Lesley Francis—Donald Franck—Neal & Mary-Margaret Gillen—Robert Giron— Jorge & Sandy Goldstein—Theodore Groll—Ann Haman—Brigid Haragan—Mira Hecht—Jay & Linda Herson—Teresa Hill—Susan Hoff—Joanna Howard—Tim & Sharle Hussion—Kenneth Ingham—Holly Johnson—Warren Jones—Dick Jorgensen—Frank Joseph & Carl Jason—Peter Kissel—Barbara Kline—Robert Leddy—Allan Lefcowitz—Dee Leroy—Charles Lewis—Lisa Lipinski—Stacy Lloyd—Tarpley Long—Patrick Madden—Mary Lee Malcolm—John Malin—Steven & Janice Marcom—C. M. Mayo—Scott McCarthy—Judith McCombs—Ethelbert Miller—John & Ann Montgomery—Jane Oakley—Diana Parsell—Arne & Sara Paulson—Leslie Pietrzyk—Susan Pigman—Barbara Rosing—Phyllis Rozman—Paula Purdy—Colin Sargent—Irene Schindler—William Schofield— Mady Segal—Maryhelen Snyder—Lynn & Michael Springer—Stanley Stern—David Stewart—Gerald Thompson—Marion Torchia—Jane Udelson—Mladena Vucetic—Robert Wise—Judith Wood—James & Jane Yagley—Rivka Yerushalmi For a full list of our supporters, please visit www.writer.org/about/donors

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If TWC cancels a workshop, participants who have already signed up and made payment will receive a full refund, or they can use their payment as a credit toward another workshop and/or a membership. Workshop participants who have enrolled in and paid for a workshop and choose to withdraw from it within the drop period (see page 16) will receive full credit (but not a cash refund) that can be used within one year to pay for another workshop and/or a membership. Workshop participants who have enrolled in and paid for a workshop and choose to withdraw from it after the drop period has ended will forfeit their full payment and will not receive any credit to be used to pay for another workshop and/or a membership. Exceptions may be made in the case of serious illness or other extenuating circumstances, such as relocation out of the area; in such cases, a formal request in the form of a letter or an e-mail must be submitted to the Executive Director. No refunds or credits will be given for individual classes missed. To receive a credit, you must notify TWC by e-mail (judson.battaglia@writer.org) within the drop period. Please confirm receipt of the message if you do not hear back from TWC within two business days.

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