Our Virtual Literary Community
The Writers Studio Online Program features writing classes that use the same technique-oriented method as our other workshops, and is available to all.
We started The Writers Studio Online Program in 2001, and now offer the same five levels of writing classes online that we have developed in our New York City school. In addition, we offer online classes in memoir, essay, prose poetry, flash fiction, and more. We have taught online students from every region of the U.S. and places as diverse as Mexico, Tuscany, Tasmania, and an air-force base in Vietnam.
Our online classes are a great alternative for those who don’t live near any of our in-person classes. We also encourage busy or peripatetic students to move back and forth between online and branch workshops if that helps them stay connected to their work. Consider online classes too if traveling or hearing poses an obstacle. Often students who feel shy about jumping into an in-person class thrive in the online environment. After all, what could make more sense than a writing class in which students and teacher know each other strictly through their words?
Virtual Classes During the Pandemic
We offer both in-person and virtual classes in New York City and Tucson and only virtual classes in San Francisco and Rome. In these virtual classes, students are discussing texts, submitting exercises, and receiving oral critiques in our virtual classes, which take place via Google Meet or Zoom.
Distinct Online Class Experience
The Writers Studio Online Program is distinct from our virtual branch classes in that our online teachers provide each student written weekly critiques on their work. On a regular weekly schedule, students post exercises in our online classroom as well as receive and give several peer critiques. And the teacher writes a weekly critique of each student’s assignment — a degree of attention that is nearly unheard of in other writing classes.
Our online classes have three formats:
Online Typed Chat: On a regular weekly schedule, students post exercises in our online classroom as well as receive and give written peer critiques. The teacher also writes a weekly critique of each student’s assignment — a degree of attention that is nearly unheard of in other writing classes. There is an optional weekly one-hour typed chat. A transcript of the chat is posted in the classroom each week.
Weekly Video Chat: On a regular weekly schedule, students post exercises in our online classroom as well as receive and give written peer critiques. The teacher also writes a weekly critique of each student’s assignment — a degree of attention that is nearly unheard of in other writing classes. There is a weekly, one-hour virtual discussion via Google Meet. There is no transcript or recording of the video chat.
Live Video Virtual Class: Students attend class via Google Meet (with or without cameras enabled). The entire class takes place during this class meeting: students share work, which is read aloud; students offer their classmates feedback; the teacher responds to each student’s work; and the teacher discusses the next week’s exercise.