Study the Craft and Art of Writing and Find Your Voice This Fall

The Westport Writers’ Workshop, based in Westport, CT, and in operation since 2003, offers workshops, lectures, and editing and coaching services for emerging to established writers in a wide variety of genres.

We’re all writers in one way or another, but there comes a time when writers decide they want more—inspiration, discipline, knowledge, community, support, structure and skill. Westport Writers’ Workshop, now on Zoom, offers all of these elements and more.

If you’re relatively new to writing or are looking to return in a more dedicated way, consider:

Introduction to Creative Writing: Beginner to Intermediate
Instructor: Adele Annesi
This interactive workshop explores the key creative concepts of poetry, personal narrative, creative nonfiction, drama and playwriting, short fiction and longer fiction to inspire writers to develop their individual voice, style, interests and focus. We also study the art of critique and revision, and each week writers can bring pages of their work to share. The workshop includes handouts, prompts and personalized critiques from the instructor. Participants can work on existing projects and/or create new pieces to cultivate and develop the writer within. This seven-session workshop meets Mondays, from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, from August 31 through October 26. The cost is $375, and the workshop is limited to seven students.

For more information or for registration, visit Introduction to Creative Writing: Beginner to Intermediate.

If you’re further along in your writing and your focus is fiction, consider:

Advanced Fiction Writing Plus Manuscript
Instructor: Adele Annesi
This advanced workshop aims to inspire writers to create their best short and long-form fiction through instruction, analysis, critique and practice. We explore all craft elements in depth, from audience, backstory and structure to theme, tone and voice. Our critique and revision methods emphasize thorough analysis of each writer’s work to discover which elements achieve the writer’s purpose or not and why. Writers also share their goals and aspirations, with personalized input from the instructor. The workshop is suitable for writers of literary and genre fiction for publication and personal exploration.

A completed manuscript is not required, but writers new to the workshop must submit a 250-word writing sample in advance for entrance. Besides presenting five pages of writing weekly aloud for discussion, each writer also sends the group one submission of 15 pages of new or revised work once during the season. The group will read the work in advance, write constructive comments on the pages and provide feedback in workshop. This seven-session workshop meets Mondays, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m., from September 14 through November 2. The cost is $535, and the workshop is limited to seven students.

For more information or to register for this workshop, visit Advanced Fiction Writing Plus Manuscript.

If neither of these workshops meets your needs, Westport Writers’ Workshop offers over 75 workshops in the morning, afternoon and evening, as well as on Saturday. Westport also offers lectures and short-term writing intensives throughout the year in a supportive community atmosphere.

For more information, visit Westport Writers’ Workshop. You can also email Westport at info@WestportWriters.org or call 203.227.3250.