Everyone new to The Writers Studio starts in Level 1 Intro in NYC and Online or the Workshop level in the other branches. There is one exception. Poets with an MFA in poetry may register for NYC or Online Advanced Poetry.
We encourage new Writers Studio students who are ready to immerse themselves in our method to register for the Craft Class in addition to a workshop. Each week in Craft Class, students read a work of classic or contemporary literature and attend or listen to a 90-minute class in which the teacher discusses the techniques used to make that work effective. During the class, exercises are given based on that week’s reading.
The Craft Class meets Tuesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. ET via Google Meet. The class is recorded for students who are unable to attend the Google Meet. Wednesday after Craft Class, all registered students are sent a link to stream the recording of the class. The weekly Craft Classes are also available to students via podcast. Students who take Craft Class along with a workshop deepen their understanding of writing at a faster pace, and spend more time reading as writers than students who just take a workshop.
Starting with the Craft Class is another way to study at The Writers Studio. It is important to note that the teacher leading the discussion will discuss techniques used in a given work. A couple of Craft Classes each term will include the author discussing technique. A new student attending the class in person should go prepared to listen and to use this first term to get familiar with how craft is discussed in the class. Please also note that when Craft Class is taken alone there is no teacher available to review students’ exercises should they choose to do them. All feedback on exercises happens in the workshops.
Choose the workshop that is most comfortable for you. Some students who live near one of the branches take online classes because they feel less vulnerable sharing their work online. Others go back and forth between in-person and online classes due to scheduling and travel constraints. We have some students who have worked with us consistently online since we started offering online classes in 2001, while other students value the in-person class experience. Everyone does what’s best for them.
Writers who are working exclusively on novels or poetry manuscripts or students who wish to start writing with an intensive and entirely personal program designed only for them should take a tutorial. Tutorials may be taken in person in locations where there are Writers Studio branches, or by email, phone and/or video conference from anywhere in the world.
Some writers don’t struggle with their writing, but the students who come to us have generally encountered some hurdles, such as not knowing where to start, not being able to write convincingly, or not connecting emotionally in their work. All of our teachers have struggled with their own writing, and are trained to help students overcome the natural hurdles they encounter.
The Writers Studio teaches fiction, poetry, memoir, and other creative nonfiction writing techniques that students have used successfully to write documentaries, television shows, magazine and newspaper articles, and books for young readers, as well as novels, memoirs, and poetry collections. Once a writer has a command of various narrative techniques and uses language effectively and convincingly, there is nothing they can’t write.
Register for the level you qualified for when you left. If you were supposed to move into Level 3, start at Level 3. Or you may register for a level you already completed, if that’s where you feel more comfortable. The important thing is to get back to writing.
We encourage teens aged 13 to 18 to register for private tutorials where they can receive individualized support for their writing.
The Writers Studio does not offer scholarships. Many students who work in book and magazine publishing, advertising, corporate communications, and as teachers are reimbursed for their workshop fees by their employers. We offer payment plans for many of our classes. If you don’t see a payment plan available for a class on our website, you may arrange a payment plan by calling (212) 255-7075.
Please contact his reading agent, Anya Backlund at anya@blueflowerarts.com or Blue Flower Arts, LLC, PO Box 1361, Millbrook NY 12545.
Kindly contact his literary agent, George Borchardt, valerie@gbagency.com, 136 East 57 St., 14th floor, NY NY 10022-2707.
Call (212) 255-7075 to discuss how The Writers Studio may be right for you, or email info@writerstudio.com with your questions.
Read more answers to frequently asked questions in an interview with Lesley Dormen.