Instructor: Elizabeth Bernstein

Contact: eb@elizabethbernstein.com

Number of sessions: 6

Meeting times: Tuesday evenings, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm; July 20 - August 24

Course fee: $385.00 Spots reserved with $100 deposit.

 

Description: "The difference between a short story and a novel is the difference between a pang in your heart compared to the tragedy of your whole life. It's all a matter of how you feel the pain. Read a great story and there it is--right now--in your gut. A novel gives you some time between innings. A story is complete, remorseless." - Short story writer and novelist Peter Orner A short story can knock you flat, it can break your heart, it can make you believe in the world.  But how?  How can you achieve all that in just a few thousand words?  This comprehensive workshop will cover all the key elements that make a short story great:  plot, character, structure, tone, pacing, tension, dialogue, and more.  In class, we'll explore the short story form using fun in-class exercises, close analysis of weekly readings, handouts, lecture and discussion. We'll also talk about how to integrate writing into your life, survive the slush pile, and publish your work.  Each student will have an opportunity to be workshopped at length. Be prepared to bring a story to class to be workshopped.  Class size limited to 12 students.

 

Instructor Bio: Elizabeth Bernstein is a writer, editor, and writing coach. She's the founder and editor of The Big Ugly Review (www.biguglyreview.com), an online literary magazine that showcases fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, music and short films (called "a great literary magazine" by Utne Magazine and "the fantastic Big Ugly Review" by zyzzyva editor Howard Junker). Her short stories have been published in the Los Angeles Times Sunday magazine, the North Atlantic Review and other US and international literary journals. Her short story, "Alice," won first prize in the San Francisco Bay Guardian Fiction Contest and was optioned by Sneaky Little Sister Films.   www.elizabethbernstein.com, www.ebc-books.com

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Short Story Bootcamp

 

Instructor: Elizabeth Bernstein

Contact: eb@elizabethbernstein.com

Number of sessions: 1

Meeting times: 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday, July 10

 

Course fee: $155

Description: In one information-filled Saturday, learn everything you need to know about writing, revising and publishing your short stories. This hands-on workshop will cover every aspect of the craft, using fun in-class exercises and discussion. You'll learn about all about character, voice, story arc, and point of view, plus how to get started, write convincing dialogue, and create believable heroes and villains. You'll discover how to use setting to underscore your story, how to fictionalize real people and events, and how to write powerful endings. We'll talk about the revision process and editing and sharing your work, as well as overcoming procrastination and living the writer's life. Finally, we'll talk about publishing and selling your work, including contests and the growing market for flash fiction.

 

Instructor Bio: Elizabeth Bernstein is a writer, editor, and writing coach. She's the founder and editor of The Big Ugly Review (www.biguglyreview.com), an online literary magazine that showcases fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, music and short films (called "a great literary magazine" by Utne Magazine and "the fantastic Big Ugly Review" by zyzzyva editor Howard Junker). Her short stories have been published in the Los Angeles Times Sunday magazine, the North Atlantic Review and other US and international literary journals. Her short story, "Alice," won first prize in the San Francisco Bay Guardian Fiction Contest and was optioned by Sneaky Little Sister Films.   www.elizabethbernstein.com, www.ebc-books.com

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Instructor: Laura Fraser

Contact: laura@laurafraser.com

Number of sessions: 3

Meeting times: 6:30-9:30, August 11, 18, and 25

Course fee: $175

 

Description: This three-week workshop is for writers who are working on personal essays, whether about travel, food, relationships, or pieces of memoir. We'll talk about how to improve on structure, style, and clarifying ideas. This class is only for people who can bring a draft of a 500-1500 word essay to the first class to work on. Email me if you'd like some ideas about how to get started before class. This is not a class for beginning writers, although unpublished is okay.

 

Instructor Bio: Laura Fraser's travel narratives have been published in Afar, Gourmet, Town & Country Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, and numerous travel anthologies. She is the author of the NYT-bestselling travel memoir, An Italian Affair, and the just-released travel memoir, All Over the Map.

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Instructor: Natalie Baszile

Contact: Nbaszile@gmail.com

Number of sessions: 6

Meeting times: Monday evenings, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm, October 4 - November 8

Course fee: $375

 

Description: Have you always wanted to write, but aren't sure how to start? Do you write non-fiction professionally, but have a great story idea? In this introductory course, writers will learn the nuts and bolts of fiction writing: character, dialogue, place/setting, point of view, detail, tension and conflict. Students will discover their storytelling voice through discussions about craft, fun in-class writing exercises to spark the imagination and tap into their creativity. We'll look at examples from published authors to see what makes their work shine. You'll learn the gentle art of workshopping and critiquing by sharing at-home writing assignments with the group. Whether you've already written a story or are just thinking about one, this class will help jumpstart your writing life and is great preparation for other Grotto fiction classes.

 

Instructor Bio: Natalie Baszile graduated from Warren Wilson's MFA Program for Writers where she was a Holden Scholar. She was the Sylvia Clare Brown fellow at the Ragdale Foundation. The Grinding Season, her novel-in-progress, was runner-up in the Faulkner Pirate's Alley Competition. Excerpts have appeared in ZYZZYVA and Cairn. She is a fiction editor at The Cortland Review.

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Instructor: Janis Cooke Newman

Contact: j-newman@comcast.net

Number of sessions: 6

Meeting times: Monday evenings, 6:30 pm to 9 pm, Sept. 27 - November 1

Course fee: $375

 

Description: This workshop is designed to give writers of both fiction and non-fiction the 2 things they need to keep writing: Deadlines and Feedback. Here's how it will work... Each week, half of the participants in the workshop will read their writing for the group. Working together, we'll discuss what resonates, what draws us in, what compels us to keep reading. We'll also talk about places where the writer might go deeper, explore character more (even when that character is him or herself), or take the story in another direction. Our goal with the feedback will be twofold. To help every writer become better. And to send every writer out of the room eager to get back to writing. Think of this as a teacher-lead writing group. While there is no formal syllabus of lecture topics for this class, from time to time craft discussion will be generated by the work being presented. Note: This class will be limited to 10 students.

Instructor Bio: Janis Cooke Newman has published extensively in both fiction and non-fiction. She is the author of the novel, 'Mary,' which was a Bay Area Bestseller, a Booksense Year-End Pick, named Best Historical Novel of 2006 by USA Today, and a Finalist for an LA Time Book Prize. She is also the author of the memoir, 'The Russian Word for Snow,' which has been translated into several languages. Her essays have appeared in several anthologies, as well as on Salon.com, and in numerous magazines. She is a frequent contributor to the LA Times and SF Chronicle travel sections.

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Instructor: Chris Colin

Contact: chris@chriscolin.com

Number of sessions: 3

 

Meeting times: Tuesday evenings, 6:30-9:30; Sept. 21, Sept. 28, Oct. 5

Course fee: $175

Description: I like sandwiches. My fridge is sticky. Dad wore a beard. Our lives are full of banal but vital little bits, and god knows we should get more of them on paper. But spinning those bits into a publishable personal essay -- the kind enjoyed by people other than our mothers -- requires a specific and sometimes counterintuitive approach. This three-week workshop will help anyone from absolute beginners to practiced writers onto this path. We will dissect the many approaches to a successful personal essay, from the straightforward to the unconventional. There will be reading, there will be writing. Did you spend six months on a desert island, sending smoke signals and gnawing porcupine? Cool, we'll get you writing about it. But incredible personal histories are absolutely unrequired for this course, and for this genre. Some of the most memorable and affecting essays come from the most ordinary experiences, the most perceptive and polished from people who'd never picked up a pen before. No need to arrive with a draft already written, but be prepared to write -- and eventually workshop -- over the duration of the class. Note: Class limited to 12 students.

Instructor Bio: Chris Colin is the award-winning author of What Really Happened to the Class of '93, and a former Salon.com editor. His essays have been published in the New York Times Magazine and other sections of the paper, as well as several anthologies. He's also written for Mother Jones, Smithsonian, Men's Journal, Conde Nast Portfolio, McSweeney's, the New York Observer, San Francisco magazine, Women's Health magazine, 7x7 and other publications, and was the longtime "On the Job" columnist for SFGate. www.chriscolin.com

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Instructor: Rachel Howard

Contact: rachel.howard@gmail.com

Number of sessions: 8

Meeting times: Tuesday evenings, 6:30 pm to 9 pm; September 21 - November 9

Course fee: $475

Description: Writing a book-length memoir is like running a marathon without knowing the route: You discover the true story as you get deeper into the work. So how do you stay on track? This weekly combination seminar and workshop provides ongoing craft discussion, support, and critique for committed memoir writers. During the opening portion of each class we'll look at published memoirs, with an eye to guide and inspire your own writing. What is your story really about, and how can your evolving understanding power the writing process? How can you keep opening up parts of your story that might feel too hot to touch?

We'll balance an awareness of the emotional process behind memoir writing with the study of practical techniques, talking about building tone and style, finding short and long lines of tension, and thinking about theme to discover new layers of meaning that can shape your larger work. Then we'll turn to your workshop submissions, aiming to reflect back to the writer what has been communicated, and to describe the further opportunities we see. We'll point to strengths, and offer ideas for substantive revision in a thoughtful environment. Every writer in the class will have the opportunity to submit to workshop twice during our eight weeks together. Ultimately this class will help you gain greater perspective on your work by listening to others. But my deeper goal is to help you build a strong personal writing sensibility by encouraging you--amidst the flurry of feedback--to listen foremost to yourself.

Note: This class is geared to intermediate and advanced memoir writers. Admission requires submission of a short writing excerpt to assure correct placement, or completion of an earlier memoir class with the instructor. Contact Rachel at rachel.howard@gmail.com for more information.

 

Instructor Bio: Rachel Howard is the author of the memoir The Lost Night: A Daughter's Search for the Truth of Her Father's Murder, one of the San Francisco Chronicle's Best Books of 2005. Her personal essays have appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle and O, the Oprah Magazine. Her advice is quoted extensively in The Autobiographer's Handbook: The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir. She received her MFA from Warren Wilson College.

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Instructor: Janis Cooke Newman

Contact: j-newman@comcast.net

Number of sessions: 6

Meeting times: Wednesday evenings, 6:30 pm to 9 pm; September 22 - October 27

Course fee: $375

Description: If "being an author is like being in charge of your own personal insane asylum," (Graycie Harmon), how do you manage to wrangle the inmates without going insane yourself? In this 6 week class, we'll focus on the specific challenges of writing a novel. How to develop a narrative structure and plot line that will carry readers through a book-length project. How to keep from losing your way in your own story. How to keep yourself motivated and believing in your work. During our lectures, we'll cover every aspect of the craft of fiction (voice, character, dialogue, scene vs. summary) - particularly as it relates to the novel, looking at examples from published work, as well as from your own writing. We'll also come up with strategies to take you through the revision process, without getting bogged down. We'll even discuss the business of publishing, i.e. how to get an agent, whether to self-publish, e-books vs podcasts vs traditional paper books. To help you maintain your writing practice - and dive deeper into your story - you'll work from weekly writing triggers tied to our craft discussions. To make sure you get plenty of feedback - and develop your skills as judge of your own work - we will allow time for every student to have his or her writing workshopped. And for those of you who are thinking of participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month in November, see http://www.nanowrimo.org/ for more details), we will give you all the tools and inspiration you need to get going. Note: This class is equally appropriate for writers who are just beginning their novels, as well as those who are in the middle of revision.

Instructor Bio: Janis Cooke Newman is the author of the novel, 'Mary,' which was a Bay Area Bestseller, a Booksense Year-End Pick, named Best Historical Novel of 2006 by USAToday, and a Finalist for an LA Time Book Prize. She is also the author of the memoir, 'The Russian Word for Snow,' which has been translated into several languages, and is still in print after 10 years.

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Instructor: Janis Cooke Newman

Contact: j-newman@comcast.net

Number of sessions: 4

Meeting times: Wednesday evenings, 6:30 pm to 9 pm; November 3 to November 24

Course fee: $255

Description:This workshop is designed to motivate, inspire, encourage, and console those who will be participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month in November, see http://www.nanowrimo.org/ for more details). Using a combination of daily writing prompts, trigger exercises, deadlines, and workshopping, we'll work to keep you going while you write your novel in a month. You'll even get some of your writing done during the class! Note: You do not have to be enrolled in Writing the Novel to sign-up for the NaNoWriMo Support Group.

 

Instructor Bio: Janis Cooke Newman is the author of the novel, 'Mary,' which was a Bay Area Bestseller, a Booksense Year-End Pick, named Best Historical Novel of 2006 by USAToday, and a Finalist for an LA Time Book Prize. She is also the author of the memoir, 'The Russian Word for Snow,' which has been translated into several languages, and is still in print after 10 years.

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Instructor: Elizabeth Bernstein

Contact: eb@elizabethbernstein.com

Number of sessions: 6

Meeting times: Wednesday evenings, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm; September 15 - October 13

Course fee: $385

 

Description: "The difference between a short story and a novel is the difference between a pang in your heart compared to the tragedy of your whole life. It's all a matter of how you feel the pain. Read a great story and there it is--right now--in your gut. A novel gives you some time between innings. A story is complete, remorseless." - Short story writer and novelist Peter Orner A short story can knock you flat, it can break your heart, it can make you believe in the world. But how? How can you achieve all that in just a few thousand words? This comprehensive workshop will cover all the key elements that make a short story great: plot, character, structure, tone, pacing, tension, dialogue, and more. In class, we'll explore the short story form using fun in-class exercises, close analysis of weekly readings, handouts, lecture and discussion. We'll also talk about how to integrate writing into your life, survive the slush pile, and publish your work. Each student will have 2-3 stories workshopped at length. Be prepared to bring 2-3 stories to class to be workshopped. Class size limited to 12 students. Spots reserved with $100 deposit.

 

Instructor Bio: Elizabeth Bernstein is a writer, editor, and writing coach. She's the founder and editor of The Big Ugly Review (www.biguglyreview.com), an online literary magazine that showcases fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, music and short films (called "a great literary magazine" by Utne Magazine and "the fantastic Big Ugly Review" by zyzzyva editor Howard Junker). Her short stories have been published in the Los Angeles Times Sunday magazine, the North Atlantic Review and other US and international literary journals. Her short story, "Alice," won first prize in the San Francisco Bay Guardian Fiction Contest and was optioned by Sneaky Little Sister Films. www.elizabethbernstein.com, www.ebc-books.com

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Instructor: Julia Scheeres

Contact: juliascheeres@gmail.com

Number of sessions: 8

Meeting times: Thursday nights, Sept. 23 - Nov. 11, 6-8 p.m.

Course fee: $475

 

Description: This is the age of the literary memoir. Once a genre dominated by celebrities, today more and more "ordinary" people are publishing their life stories. Translating your experiences into a vivid, compelling, and -- ultimately, salable -- manuscript is the focus of this 8-week course. We will explore the changing shape of memory and the creative license afforded memoirists on the page, and learn to apply the universal building blocks of good writing -- scene, summary and musing -- to this genre. Writing assignments will build toward a polished excerpt. Be prepared to discuss highly personal matters in this class. To write a successful memoir, you need to be brutally honest with yourself, especially when dealing with painful or taboo subjects. Your fellow classmates will serve as your first readers. Please come to class with an open and energetic mind, ready to give your classmates' work the same respectful attention that you give to your own.

Required writing: - Each week we will workshop at least two manuscripts. Additionally, you will continue working on your own memoir for the duration of the 8-week course. Suggested reading: - "Tell It Slant, Writing and Shaping Creative Nonfiction," by Brenda Miller and Suzanne Paola (buy RED cover, which has anthology)

 

Instructor Bio: Julia Scheeres is the author of the memoir "Jesus Land" (Counterpoint 2005), which was a New York Times and London Times bestseller. "Jesus Land" was the recipient of the American Library Association's "Alex Award" and the Quality Paperback Book Club's "New Visions Award." Scheeres, who has a has an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Southern California, is a frequent reviewer for the New York Times Book Review.

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One Day Workshops How to Break Into Travel Writing: A writing & photography workshop

Instructors: Janis Cooke Newman and Chris Hardy

Contact: j-newman@comcast.net

Number of sessions: 1

Meeting times: 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday, September 18

Course fee: $155 (10% discount given on both classes if taken with How to Write Travel Essays and Features for Magazines, see below)

 

Description: This one-day, hands-on workshop, taught by a well-published travel writer and Pulitzer Prize-nominated photographer, will teach you everything you need to know about writing, shooting, and selling your travel stories. Concentrating mainly on writing destination travel stories for newspapers (one of the easiest places to break in), we'll talk about... Coming up with angles that editors find irresistible How to structure a travel story Writing leads that will keep readers (and editors) reading Avoiding travel-writing cliches (i.e. 'off the beaten track') How and where to market your stories Ways to keep your travel affordable And since newspaper editors are always more likely to buy travel stories backed up by terrific pictures (for which they also pay), we'll also spend time covering the nuts and bolts of travel photography... What types of photos are travel editors looking for? What makes a good travel photo? To Photoshop or not to Photoshop? What equipment you should take on the road? How, and in what format, should you submit your photos? Captioning

 

Instructor Bios: Janis Cooke Newman's travel stories have appeared in the LA Times, SF Chronicle, Miami Herald, Chicago Tribune, Dallas Morning News, Denver Post, Chicago Sun-Times, and Minneapolis Star, as well as in Backpacker, Country Living, and 7X7 magazines, and online at SecondAct.com. She is also the author of a memoir, 'The Russian Word for Snow,' and a novel, 'Mary.' www.janiscookenewman.com Chris Hardy's photographs have appeared in the LA Times, SF Chronicle, Time, Newsweek, Life, and other magazines, as well as in books and on album covers. His awards include more than 20 SFBAPPA awards, five California Press Photographer awards and six national Picture of the Year awards. He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1991 for photos of the Names Project Quilt. www.chrishardyphoto.com/

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Instructor: Laura Fraser

Contact: laura@laurafraser.com

Number of sessions: 1

Meeting times: 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday, October 2

Course fee: $155 (10% discount given on both classes if taken with How to Write Travel Essays and Features for Magazines, see above)

Description:This one-day workshop is a stand-alone class or follows the How to Break Into Travel Writing workshop, for writers interested in writing narrative travel stories. The focus of this workshop won't be on destination stories, with where to stay and eat, but on stories of travel as transformation and deep cultural experience. The class will cover: What makes a great travel narrative How to write a travel essay Beginnings, endings, and the structure of travel narratives Examples of great travel writing Crafting your pitch to a travel magazine Travel memoirs.

 

Instructor Bio: Laura Fraser's travel narratives have been published in Afar, Gourmet, Town & Country Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, and numerous travel anthologies. She is the author of the NYT-bestselling travel memoir, An Italian Affair, and the just-released travel memoir, All Over the Map.

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Short Story Bootcamp Instructor: Elizabeth Bernstein

Contact: eb@elizabethbernstein.com

Number of sessions: 1

Meeting times: 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday, October 17

Course fee: $155

 

Description: In one information-filled Saturday, learn everything you need to know about writing, revising and publishing your short stories. This hands-on workshop will cover every aspect of the craft, using fun in-class exercises and discussion. You'll learn about all about character, voice, story arc, and point of view, plus how to get started, write convincing dialogue, and create believable heroes and villains. You'll discover how to use setting to underscore your story, how to fictionalize real people and events, and how to write powerful endings. We'll talk about the revision process and editing and sharing your work, as well as overcoming procrastination and living the writer's life. Finally, we'll talk about publishing and selling your work, including contests and the growing market for flash fiction. Spots reserved with a $50 deposit.

 

Instructor Bio: Elizabeth Bernstein is a writer, editor, and writing coach. She's the founder and editor of The Big Ugly Review (www.biguglyreview.com), an online literary magazine that showcases fiction, nonfiction, poetry, photography, music and short films (called "a great literary magazine" by Utne Magazine and "the fantastic Big Ugly Review" by zyzzyva editor Howard Junker). Her short stories have been published in the Los Angeles Times Sunday magazine, the North Atlantic Review and other US and international literary journals. Her short story, "Alice," won first prize in the San Francisco Bay Guardian Fiction Contest and was optioned by Sneaky Little Sister Films. www.elizabethbernstein.com, www.ebc-books.com

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Instructor: Katie Crouch

Contact: katie@katiecrouch.com

Number of sessions: 1

Meeting times: 10 am to 4 pm, Saturday, October 23

Course fee: $155

Description: Got an idea for a great book? Believe it or not, agents and editors really are looking for proposals that work.This one-day workshop is a stand-alone class that covers how to translate the nebulous concept in your head into a proposal agents and editors will understand and want to buy. This class will be most useful to those with ideas to workshop. Fiction and nonfiction writers welcome. The class will cover: Examples of amazing (and awful!) book proposals How to craft a great sample chapter The chapter outline The importance of the effective letter to the agent An honest round table on your idea.

 

Instructor Bio:Katie Crouch has sold four book proposals, including adult and young adult novels and a book of essays. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked for an agent. She is the author of the bestselling novels Girls in Trucks and Men and Dogs.

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Instructors: Susan West, Michael Gold, and Laura Fraser

Contact: laura@laurafraser.com  

Number of sessions: 2-day workshop; can come for one day only

Meeting times: November 13 & 14

Course fee: TBD

 

Description: In this weekend series of workshops and panel discussions, you'll strengthen your skills as a writer and learn new tools to compete in the changing media market. The first day will focus on targeting and pitching outlets that pay and on the writing skills that you need to stand out either in print or online. Sessions will include workshops on style and structure, and panel discussions with writers, book agents, new media editors, and print editors. The second day will show you how--and why--to use Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Scribd, blogs, and other social media to develop your professional persona, extend your reach as a writer, promote your work, and get noticed. Sessions will include hands-on workshops on setting up and using these tools efficiently and effectively, as well as sessions on writing for the Web and search engine optimization (SEO) for writers.

 

Instructor Bio: Laura Fraser's travel narratives have been published in Afar, Gourmet, Town & Country Travel, Conde Nast Traveler, and numerous travel anthologies. She is the author of the NYT-bestselling travel memoir, An Italian Affair, and the just-released travel memoir, All Over the Map. Susan West and Michael Gold are the founding editors of Health magazine, and Susan was recently editor-in-chief of Afar magazine. They run WestGold editorial, which assist magazine start-ups, and author a blog about changes in the media scene nationally.

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