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VIRTUAL and IN-PERSON workshops

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If you’ve ever suspected that there might be a writer lurking under the skin, or perhaps harbored a secret notebook of half-started stories, this is the class for you. In this workshop you'll find your way first by releasing the writer within through creative prompts to get the words flowing, and then by discovering the elements of all good stories, including character, conflict, action, setting and more. For anyone who longs to write but doesn't know where to start, and for writers who have dabbled but lost their way. WARNING: this workshop just might seduce you into a life-long love affair with writing.

Every person has a story. What is yours? Memoir writing is the process of adapting your true-life experiences in a way that reads like fiction. Whether your writing goal is personal, in essay form, or an entire book, this class will give you the tools you need to develop and strengthen your writing process. Through prompts, supportive round-table discussions, and constructive critique, we will explore how to structure stories, develop the skills that bring them to life, and show how to enhance your writing.

Are you interested in poetry but have no idea how to write it? In this beginner, generative course, we will focus on creativity in language, trying to determine how writers create powerful and engaging poetry, and how we might apply this skill-set to our own poems. To that end, we will read and discuss contemporary (and not so contemporary) poems, while learning about both free-verse and formal-verse poetic traditions. Together we’ll find sources of inspiration and utilize in-class and weekly prompts that invite us to pay closer attention to ourselves, our lives, and the world around us.

You do not need any previous experience with writing or formal poetry. All you need is a pen, notebook (or laptop) and an open mind!

Our Adult Writers Circles are the heart of our workshops. They're where The Writers Circle began. We provide a supportive environment where writers work freely on various forms and genres, exploring projects developed in class or on their own. Craft issues like structure, point-of-view, character development, pace, and style are addressed, as is the ever-changing publishing marketplace. With great respect for each writer, our workshops take on a life of their own as writers learn to trust each other for ongoing critique and inspiration as they move toward completion of work and eventual publication.

Lorrie Moore, in a The Paris Review interview, said: "A story is a kind of biopsy of human life [...] both local, specific, small, and deep, in a penetrating, layered, and revealing way." In this class, we'll write engaging short stories or pieces of flash fiction, build short form structures and improve voice, characterization, dialogue, setting, mood and more. In addition, every week we’ll read a published short work drawn from short story collections, magazines, and literary journals. These works serve as a springboard for craft discussion, as well as giving writers the opportunity to become familiar with potential markets for publishing their own work. You'll share your own work and receive gentle, constructive critique from fellow students and the instructor.

This special Writers Circle for memoirists provides a supportive environment where writers work freely on developing memoir in the form of short essays, poetry, or a book-length narrative. Issues of art and craft are addressed through round-table discussion and gentle, constructive critique. Writers learn to trust one another for feedback and guidance as they polish their work, moving toward completion. Perfect for memoirists who want to take their writing to the next level.

To write poetry is to articulate the world around you. To find new and more precise ways to describe what it means to be alive. Poetry Craft Workshop is a course designed to not only generate new poems, but to sharpen poetic craft with an eye toward publication and/or creating a strong, cohesive body of work. This workshop-heavy course is perfect for writers looking for a supportive and constructive environment in which to challenge themselves—to write, revise and workshop the poems they’ve always dreamed of creating.

From the most adorable picture book to the most intense Young Adult novel, literature for younger readers fires the imagination and opens the world for its audience. In this hands-on workshop, writers will learn how to craft compelling stories and characters for all age ranges. Works in progress will be constructively critiqued in a supportive environment. In-class writing prompts will keep the creative spirit nimble. And real world advice on the publishing industry will help your completed manuscript stand out in a crowd

Romance novels are currently the most profitable corner of the publishing industry. Thanks to Netflix’s Bridgerton, new audiences are discovering—and penning—this most comforting of literary genres. In this eight week introductory class for new romance writers and writers who want to incorporate romantic elements in their fiction, we’ll cover the ingredients of a successful romance novel: plot structure, tropes, reader expectations, and “sizzle” levels. We’ll also read and discuss passages from romance novels to gain Fan overview of the genre, explore the fascinating ways recent books mirror cultural advances for women, and look at paths to publication. Generative writing prompts get you started writing your own romance and we’ll share excerpts in class for gentle, supportive feedback.

Get ready to write a mystery that will grip readers in this genre-specific Writers Circle workshop. Focus on an ongoing short story or novel, or experiment with something entirely new. Each week, we’ll address issues of the mystery writer’s craft through roundtable discussion and gentle, constructive critique. Writers learn to trust each other in a warm, supportive environment where they’ll receive feedback and guidance as they draft and revise their work. Perfect for confident beginners and pre-published writers looking to develop the crime fiction they’ve always wanted to write.

The idea of beginning a novel is both exhilarating and intimidating. This class deconstructs the craft basics of plot and structure, description, character, dialogue, creating conflict, and more, and helps you learn how to tell the story that's burning within. Whether you're still contemplating what to write about, or have already begun your first draft, this is an excellent choice for any writer confronting the challenge of a long work.

November has traditionally been time for NaNoWriMo--National Novel Writing Month!  While this global writing marathon has closed its doors, we can still follow tradition and take this month to dive deep into our writing. Getting 50,000 words on the page isn’t easy, but we’ll cheer you on in this six-week intensive workshop where you’ll commit to that big project— whether it's a novel, a memoir, or an essay or story collection. We'll kick off with a project outline session and discuss big picture challenges like structure, plot, and discipline. Subsequent sessions will feature weekly check-ins, readings, and prompts to keep you going. We’ll close out with plans for how to keep moving forward. The goal is simple: write as much as you can, as fast as you can, to get traction on that book you've always meant to write. We're not aiming for precision or perfection but for movement. You can do it!  And we’re here to help you get there.

Now that you've begun your novel, the work is far from over. Novel writing is like a marathon - you have to be in it for the long haul. This class will include "off the page exercises" to help solidify description, dialogue, character, plot, and more. And we will critique your work in progress, in a constructive, supportive environment tha twill help you keep moving towards the finish line: a completed first draft!

Note: This class is by invitation or submission only. Limited to eight seats per section. Please email or call for more information. If you are a first-time writer, we recommend taking Beginning Your Novel before considering this workshop.

This class is geared for the writer who is deep in a first draft or has already embarked on revision. Critique of work in progress is ongoing in a constructive, supportive environment . Note: This class is by invitation or submission only. Limited to six seats per section. Please email or call for more information. If you are a first-time writer, we recommend taking Beginning Your Novel and Continuing Your Novel before considering this workshop.

You did it! You completed a first draft of your manuscript. Now what? This class will guide you through the revision process from big picture issues and character development to what to look for to make your sentences sing. Through mini-lectures and supportive workshop sessions, you will learn to sharpen your plot, pull out themes, tighten your prose and rescue characters left hanging. Open to novels, memoir, and short story and essay collections.

Note: Limited to six seats. Submission required. Email or call for more information and instructions about how to submit.

Finding the right literary agent can be a daunting task—crafting the “perfect” query letter, drilling down a 300-plus-page manuscript into a succinct, 500-word synopsis and making the opening pages shine. Writing the book almost seems easier!

In this supportive four-week workshop, we will demystify the submission process, including discussing where and how to find the right agents for your work. Participants will leave with a query-synopsis-opening page package that’s ready to catch that “dream” agent’s eye.

Program Cancellation Policy: Workshops or events that do not reach their minimum registration are at risk of cancellation.  Often registrations occur at the last minute. The Writers Circle does its best to wait as long as possible before cancelling any program.  Registered students are notified by email approximately 5 days prior to the scheduled program start date if their program is under-registered.  Cancellation is announced by email approximately 2 days prior to the scheduled program start date and registered students will be provided with opportunities for alternate programs, credits, or refunds.  The best way to ensure that a program runs is to register at least one week prior to the scheduled start of any workshop or event. 

TWC POLICIES: Freedom of Expression | Inclement Weather | Program Cancellation | Makeups | Trial Classes & Drop-ins | Refunds/Withdrawal

 

*The Writers Circle reserves the right to shift any in-person or hybrid program to virtual instruction based on the health and safety recommendations of the CDC, WHO, the State of New Jersey, or other authorities or involved parties.