2 Amazing Classes Offered by 4 Amazing Teachers

BASED ON A TRUE STORY
with Sonya Lea & Warren Etheridge

When: November 14, 6-10 pm
Where: Queen Anne Writers' Studio
Who: students who are mental health professionals, caregivers, soldiers, veterans, sexual abuse survivors, prisoners, teens, and/or those suffering from trauma related to loss and institutional betrayal. For instructors' bios, please see the links below.
How much:  $100/12 students limit
Register Here

How do we author our life story as we're living it? What's the throughline of our life when we keep

changing?

In this four hour program, enjoy an experiential introduction with the focus on why we must tell our stories. Become aware of your own truth, and hone a sense of what story is necessary to be told. After a brief break, plunge into a lively session of generative writing. We may use prompts, models and sharing to create an environment to write and witness our experiences.You will leave with a sense of your personal story, as well as writing work toward an essay or story.

For more information about instructors follow links Warren Etheridge & Sonya Lea .

CULTIVATING THE AUTHOR

with Andrea Dunlop and Kristina Libby

When: Saturday, November 19th 11-4pm 

Where: The Queen Anne Writers Studio

Who: Authors who are ready to take their careers to the next level 

How much: $169 (Price includes a catered lunch and post class appetizers and wine.) 

Register Here

Every author needs a skill set that goes far beyond the ability to write a good book. And yet, many don’t know where to begin learning how to build a community or market their work. 

Andrea Dunlop

 In this workshop we–Andrea Dunlop and Kristina Libby, authors and marketing professionals–will help you approach your work holistically–from finding inspiration, to finding an audience, to navigating the publishing process, to developing both short term and lifelong career goals for your writing and author platform.

We'll guide you through our six pillars of

Kristina Libby

success to develop a long-term strategy for your author career that will build your audience book by book and reader by reader. We’re not about one size fits all. In this half-day workshop, you will develop a focused and individualized plan that will fit with your life, career goals, and the market for which you are writing. 

Andrea Dunlop is an author and independent social media consultant based out of Seattle, WA with

over a decade of experience in book publishing. Dunlop began her career as a publicist with Doubleday where she worked with both bestselling and emerging authors to promote their books. After returning to her hometown of Seattle, she worked as publicity manager for Kim Ricketts Book Events, before joining the team at Girl Friday Productions as their executive director of social media and marketing. In February 2016, Andrea released her debut novel, Losing the Light (Atria), and is currently working on a second novel for the publisher, due out in early  2018. In addition to her writing and social media work, Andrea has presented at book and publishing conferences and classes nationwide including The San Francisco Writers Conference, The Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Conference, The Pacific Northwest Writers Association Conference, Columbia University and many others.

Kristina Libby is the CEO of S.W.C. a digital marketing and communications consulting firm in Dallas, TX and a professor at the University of Florida. Libby is a serial entrepreneur and storyteller

who routinely writes, speaks and teaches on subjects across a wide range of issues including PR, storytelling, writing and side hustles. She recently published her first book You Don't Need Social Media Unless You Are Doing It Right, on helping small businesses simplify social media, and has written for and appeared on publications like Cosmopolitan, Entreprenuer, More, Forbes, the LA Times and others. She also has a forthcoming podcast on side hustles, called The Creative Class.

  

Hello, this is David Schmader.  Here (again) with Queen Anne Writers Studio to tell you more about my Brainstorming class, which I’ve taught for years at Hugo House and am now launching for the first time at Queen Anne Writers Studio.

The basics: The main point of this Brainstorming class is to give writers of any genre a method of ransacking their imaginations in a way that reliably connects them to the unique raw material of their stories and reveals an organic plan of attack.

The goal: normalizing that part of writing when you must forsake the quest for perfect composition and clarity to root around in the messy swamp of possibility.

Consider the class a boot camp for practicing two distinct steps: figuring out what you want to say, and figuring out how you want to say it.
Previous installments of the class have included novelists, essayists, poets, monologists, songwriters, screenwriters, even grant-writers. There have been novices just feeling their way into creative writing and seasoned professionals with a specific project to attack. If you’re the type of person who’s always got five project ideas simmering on the back burner, pick one and attack it here.

I like to use classtime for things that can be done only in class—out-loud reading and discussion of drafts, group reading and discussion of supplementary texts. Then I send you off to do the lonely work of actual writing all by yourselves, with directions to bring the results back to class next week. (There’s nothing as generative as a deadline.

Looking forward to working with you.  For more information, please click.

David

David Here!

Hello! This is David Schmader, and very soon I’ll be at Queen Anne Writers Studio.

Icebreaker query: What do I mean by brainstorming?

To me, brainstorming is a catch-all term for the various ways of answering two questions: “Where do I start?” and “What do I do now?”

Sometimes it’s a matter of finding what it is you want to write about. Sometimes it’s a matter of having a story you want to tell and not being sure where to begin. Sometimes you’re in the middle of a piece of writing and not sure how to proceed.

Whatever the case, the questions “Where do I start?” and “What do I do now?” come up again and again, and the method of brainstorming I’ll be sharing is the best way I’ve found to answer those questions, whenever they arise, without going insane.

And I say that because “Where do I start?” is exactly the type of question that can tie me up in knots, because there’s no “right” answer. It’s not a math problem, it’s a creative question, which has to be decided by listening to your gut and heart, which can be challenging if not terrifying. The techniques we’ll be dealing with in class are designed to help navigate the part of writing that requires you to relinquish the need for the Right Answer and splash around in a sea of possibility, with a minimum of existential angst.

For full info and registration, go here.

6 Week Brainstorming with David Schmader

What: Brainstorming Class
When: Sundays beginning October 22 to November 27
Time:  12:00-2:00 pm
Where: Queen Anne Writers' Studio 1911 10th Avenue West
Who:  12 students looking for help getting started, staying focused, and keeping motivated
How much: $299

Nicole Hardy & Suzanne Morrison back at the Queen Anne Writers' Studio!

The Art of Getting Started (Redux), with Nicole Hardy and Suzanne Morrison

When: July 16, 11am–4pm
Where: Tulinda Yoga Studio, 618 West McGraw Street, Queen Anne
Who: Suitable for beginning and emerging writers of fiction and creative non-fiction
How much: $200
Lunch: BYO, or buy nearby

Some of you may be familiar with authors, writing instructors, and forces of nature–Nicole Hardy and Suzanne Morrison. Some of you may have even taken their class, The Art of Getting Started. Well, they’re doing again, and this time bringing all new prompts to the table.

Description; In this one-day generative class, we’ll focus on how, why, where, and when to begin. Suzanne and Nichole will provide writing prompts, short readings, and discussion topics in a five-hour session to face down the blank white page. We’ll keep in mind what Hemingway said—“I write one page of masterpiece to ninety-one pages of sh*t. I try to put the sh*t in the wastebasket”—and fill our notebooks to brimming. Who knows what surprises we’ll find as we create the starts (or middles, or ends) of several new pieces.

To register: Send name, phone, and email to beingnicolehardy@gmail.com Payment arrangements will be made upon receipt, via Paypal, Venmo, or personal check. Your payment in full confirms your registration and reserves your spot.

Bring: Bring something on which to write, paper and pencil or laptop. (Please charge up before coming and bring a power cord. We’ll do our best to accommodate charging needs.) Please also bring your mobile coffee mug or water bottle and beverage of choice. An extra layer always helps keep everyone in the room comfortable.

Teachers: Nicole Hardy‘s memoir, Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin, was a finalist for the 2014 Washington State Book Award. Her other books include the poetry collections This Blonde and Mud Flap Girl’s XX Guide to Facial Profiling, a chapbook of pop-culture inspired sonnets. Her work has appeared in literary journals and newspapers including The New York Times, and has been adapted for radio and stage. Her essay, “Single, Female, Mormon, Alone,” was noted in 2012’s Best American Essays. She earned her MFA at the Bennington College Writing Seminars, and serves on the board at Mineral School Artist Residency. Learn more at authornicolehardy.com

Suzanne Morrison is the author of Yoga Bitch (Random House/Three Rivers Press), which was a Crosscut Best Northwest Book of 2011 and has been translated into six languages. A recipient of 4Culture and Artist Trust grants, Suzanne is at work on a new memoir and a collection of short fiction. Her fiction and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in Litro, Salt Hill, Washington Square, Printers Row, The Huffington Post, and elsewhere. She teaches memoir and fiction at Hugo House and at Veteran Centers through the Red Badge Program. Learn more at suzanne-morrison.com.

May Class: Craft a Winning Book Proposal

Craft a Winning Book Proposal With Jen Worick and Kerry Colburn

Saturday, May 14, 1-5pm

Description:
You may have a terrific book idea ready to dazzle the world. Alas, without a spot-on book proposal, it may never see the light of day. Don’t let this happen to you! Learn how to create a savvy and professional proposal that will make publishers and agents sit up and take notice. Two industry insiders will walk you through the key elements of any successful proposal—including title/subtitle, opening pitch, author bio, and marketing plan—and help you polish each one with hands-on exercises. Crafting a killer, on-point proposal is absolutely essential to succeeding in the current marketplace no matter what publishing route you take. You’ll leave this workshop not only committed to getting the book deal of your dreams, but with a concrete start to every section of your proposal.

Where: Tulinda Yoga Studio, 618 McGraw Street, Queen Anne

Who: Suitable for any writers actively working on or thinking about a book. No matter the genre, where you are in the writing process, or how you’d ideally like to publish, this class will ensure you have the best shot at publication. (While book proposals are expected for nonfiction titles, we encourage all aspiring authors to write a proposal, as it will make their submission—and their book—stronger.)

How much: $199

To register: You can register via PayPal here. Your payment in full confirms your registration and reserves your spot. Space is limited to 15, so register early.

What to bring: Bring something on which to write, be it laptop or pen and paper. (Please charge up before coming and bring your power cord, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your charging needs.) Please also bring your mobile coffee mug or water bottle. We’ll have coffee, tea, and water on hand.

Teachers: Prolific authors and publishing experts Jennifer Worick and Kerry Colburn are the dynamic duo behind The Business of Books (www.bizofbooks.com), a publishing consulting company based in Seattle.

With nearly 40 years of industry experience and 40 published books between them, Jen & Kerry are in the unique position of having been “on both sides of the desk”—as both acquisitions editors and authors.

Jen was most recently the Editorial Director of Running Press in Philadelphia and is a New York Times-bestselling author with more than 1 million copies of her books in print. Kerry served as Executive Editor of Chronicle Books in San Francisco and is the author of many books, including How to Have Your Second Child First. The duo speaks frequently at writers’ conferences, retreats, and schools.

The Art of Getting Started: Register now!

The Art of Getting Started with Nicole Hardy and Suzanne Morrison

April 23 & 24 11:00am--3:00pm

Description:
In this two-day generative class, we'll focus on how and where and why to begin. Both instructors will provide writing prompts, short readings, and discussion topics in an eight-hour attempt to face down the blank white page. We’ll keep in mind what Hemingway said: “I write one page of masterpiece to ninety-one pages of sh*t. I try to put the sh*t in the wastebasket” and fill our notebooks to brimming. Who knows what surprises we’ll find as we create the starts (or middles, or ends) of several new pieces. Suitable for beginning and emerging writers of fiction and creative nonfiction

Where: Tulinda Yoga Studio, 618 McGraw Street, Queen Anne

Who: Suitable for beginning and emerging writers of fiction and creative non-fiction

How much: $175 for both days, $100 for one day

Lunch:BYO, or buy nearbyTo register: Send name, phone, and email to beingnicolehardy@gmail.com Payment arrangements will be made upon receipt, via Paypal or personal check. Your payment in full confirms your registration and reserves your spot.

What to bring:
Bring something on which to write, be it paper and pencil or laptop. (Please charge up before coming and bring your power cord, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your charging needs.) Please also bring your mobile coffee mug or water bottle. We’ll provide coffee, tea, and water. And an extra layer always helps keep everyone in the room comfortable.

Teachers:
Nicole Hardy's memoir, Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin, was a finalist for the 2014 Washington State Book Award. Her other books include the poetry collections This Blonde and Mud Flap Girl's XX Guide to Facial Profiling, a chapbook of pop-culture inspired sonnets. Her work has appeared in literary journals and newspapers including The New York Times, and has been adapted for radio and stage. Her essay, "Single, Female, Mormon, Alone," was noted in 2012's Best American Essays. She earned her MFA at the Bennington College Writing Seminars. Learn more at nicolehardy.org.

Suzanne Morrison is the author of Yoga Bitch (Random House/Three Rivers Press), which was a Crosscut Best Northwest Book of 2011 and has been translated into six languages. A recipient of 4Culture and Artist Trust grants, Suzanne is at work on a new memoir and a collection of short fiction. Her fiction and essays have appeared or are forthcoming in Litro, Salt Hill, Washington Square, Printers Row, The Huffington Post, and elsewhere. She teaches memoir and fiction at Hugo House and at Veteran Centers through the Red Badge Program. Learn more at suzanne-morrison.com.

Scrivener Introduction Class

When: Thursday, January 21, 2016, 7-9 p.m.

Where: Tulinda Yoga Studio, 618 McGraw Street, Queen Anne

Description:

Have you tried Scrivener, the software for writers, but felt daunted by its features? Or have you just been hearing about it and would like to learn more? This two-hour class will cover all the basics, including author Jason Hough's personal tricks and tips. 

In class he'll cover the philosophy behind how Scrivener works (it is quite different from Word), outlining, creating a new project, compiling for different formats, and some tips to help you achieve success with large projects.

About Scrivener:

Scrivener is a powerful content-generation tool for writers that allows you to concentrate on composing and structuring long and difficult documents. While it gives you complete control of the formatting, its focus is on helping you get to the end of that awkward first draft.

Jason is not affiliated with Literature & Latte (the makers of Scrivener) in any way. Please note this class does not include the Scrivener software. At the link below you can find a trial version, but if you want to use the trial for the class, make sure you don't install it until the week before. Find out more or download Scrivener software here. 

Teacher:

Jason M. Hough (pronounced 'Huff') is the New York Times bestselling author of The Dire Earth Cycle and the near-future spy thriller Zero World. In a former life he was a 3D artist, animator, and game designer (Metal Fatigue, Aliens vs. Predator: Extinction, and many others). He has also worked in the fields of high-performance cluster computing and machine learning.

He lives near Seattle, Washington with his wife, two young sons, and a dog named Missbuster.

What to bring:
Bring your laptop (with Scrivener installed if you'd like to follow along. Not required but helpful.)

Class price: $45

Register here.

"Writing Our Personal Stories" with Nicole Hardy

1-day, bring your own lunch

When: Saturday, Jan. 23, 10:30am - 4:30 pm

Where: Tulinda Yoga Studio, 618 McGraw Street, Queen Anne

Who: Suitable for beginning and emerging writers

Description:
In this one day class, we'll divide our time among lecture, discussion, and writing exercises as we delve into the art of creating memoir from memory. I'll pass on some lessons I learned the hard way, show samples from other authors, and explain how novelists' techniques can be useful in writing creative nonfiction.

10:30 – 2:30
Introduction to Creative Non-fiction, including personal essay & memoir
                       Why read it?
                       Why write it?
                       How is it similar to/different from writing fiction?

Checklist, culled from best advice from Dan Jones, editor of Modern Love

Read & discuss one sample essay, one memoir chapter with an eye to essential elements of craft
· Narrative structure
· Scene vs. Summary
· Dialogue
· Characterization
· Cultivating vulnerability

Series of 3 writing prompts


12:30 – 1:00 Lunch


1:00 – 3:00
Topics Central To Writing Personal Stories

Writers of creative non-fiction are advised to be hardest on themselves not “let themselves off the hook” 
· What does this mean?
· How does a writer achieve it?
· How does a writer share without oversharing?

Read and discuss one sample essay, one short memoir chapter, as models

Series of 3 writing prompts

3:00 – 4:00
Guided writing exercises, continuing with one or more of the 6 previous prompts

4:00 – 4:30
General Q&A, my best advice on writing & publishing creative non-fiction

Teacher:
Nicole Hardy's memoir, Confessions of a Latter-Day Virgin, was a finalist for the 2014 Washington State Book Award. Her other books include the poetry collections This Blonde and Mud Flap Girl's XX Guide to Facial Profiling, a chapbook of pop-culture inspired sonnets. Her work has appeared in literary journals and newspapers including The New York Times, and has been adapted for radio and stage. Her essay, "Single, Female, Mormon, Alone," was noted in 2012's Best American Essays. She earned her MFA at the Bennington College Writing Seminars. Learn more at nicolehardy.org.

What to bring:
Bring something on which to write, be it paper and pencil or laptop. (Please charge up before coming and bring your power cord, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your charging needs.) Please also bring your mobile coffee mug or water bottle. We’ll provide coffee, tea, and water. And an extra layer always helps keep everyone in the room comfortable.

How much: $125

Lunch: BYO

To register: Send name, phone, and email to queenannewritersstudio@gmail.com. Payment arrangements will be made upon receipt. Your payment in full confirms your registration.

Structure Intensive with Jennie Shortridge

Fall Class: Story Structure for Novels and Memoirs1-day, bring your own lunch

When: Saturday, Oct. 24, 10am - 4pm

Where: Queen Anne, tbd based on class size

Who: Any level of writer working on a novel or book-length memoir or narrative nonfiction. (Not appropriate for how-to books, cook books, books with many separate stories, academic writing, short stories, essays, articles, blogs, poetry, recipes, break-up emails or the like.)

Teacher: Jennie Shortridge, five-time bestselling novelist, teacher, and co-founder of Seattle7Writers.org.

Description:
The hardest thing to figure out when writing your first (or second or third) book-length story is how to build the beast. And if you’ve been trying to figure it out, you know the word “beast” is perfect for those thousands of words and dozens of pages you’ve amassed with no clear trajectory, thematic pull, emotional arc, or end in sight. If you’ve felt overwhelmed by the monumental task of writing a 200-300 page book that agents, publishers, and ultimately readers will love, then you might want to sign up for this class. I promise it will help.

This is a nuts-and-bolts workshop: how to build the frame on which to hang your beautiful story. You will end the day with a clearer understanding of several structural forms and narrative frames (plus, you will know what that means). You will have guidelines to help you understand what goes where in the story, how to begin, where to end, how to build an arc, and many ideas to put into immediate practice in your work. Be prepared for lecture, discussion, worksheets, brainstorming, and lunch discussion with like-minded writers!

What to bring:
It’s good to have a synopsis (as you know it, so far). This can be on paper or in your head. Bring something on which to write, be it paper and pencil or laptop. (Please charge up before coming and bring your power cord, and we’ll do our best to accommodate your charging needs.) Please also bring your mobile coffee mug or water bottle. We’ll provide coffee, tea and water. And an extra layer always helps keep everyone in the room comfortable.

How much: $125

Lunch: BYO

To register: Send name, phone, and email to jennieshortridge@comcast.net. Payment arrangements will be made upon receipt. Your payment in full confirms your place at the writing table on Oct. 24!

Get on the list!

Thanks to everyone for your interest in our class, Beginning to Write. It's now sold out with a waiting list, which we would be happy to add you to.

And/or, if you'd like to get news of writing classes by email, send your contact info to queenannewritersstudio@gmail.com. We hope to add teachers and classes in the near future!

Happy writing, everyone . . .

New writing class!

Beginning to WriteFor writers of fiction, memoir and creative nonfiction. (Not applicable for poetry or self-help.)

This 6-week class provides the serious beginner or returning writer with the knowledge, skills and strategies to kick-start your writing journey. In this small (max. 8 students) and personable atmosphere, you’ll learn what you need to know to:
                  • Understand the basics of writing craft
                  • Write what you want to with confidence
                  • Establish a sustainable writing practice

WHEN:       Thursdays, February 19-March 26, 2015

                   7-9:00 p.m.

WHERE:     Stacya Silverman Studio
                   
614 West McGraw 
(between 6th and 7th)
, Seattle, WA 98119

COST:         $295

                   Please bring cash or check (made out to one of the teachers) to first class

TO REGISTER:
Send your name, phone number and email address to queenannewritersstudio@gmail.com. We will send a verification email to let you know you successfully registered. Please, no cancellations after Feb. 1. If you can't make it, please let us know so that we can work together to fill your spot.

INSTRUCTORS:Laurie Frankel and Jennie Shortridge are Queen Anne residents and active members of Seattle7Writers and other organizations in the Pacific Northwest writing community.