Few generations have seen as much change in technology, culture, and living history as Gen-Z. And what better way to make sense of it all, then with the written word and art? The unique experiences our young people grapple with on a daily basis–gun violence, reproductive rights, gender and identity, censorship and book banning–influence how they understand the world prior generations created for them. This class will honor those experiences by encouraging students to explore modern themes through fiction or creative non-fiction (personal narrative), and/or hybrid forms. As a nod to the social media culture they grew up in, students are encouraged to include a visual component to complement written work, though it’s totally optional. This class will introduce students to different forms of prose with outside readings and in-class discussion to prepare them for advanced workshops in college and beyond, and to nail their college essay (if applicable). This workshop is both manuscript based and generative.
Tuesday afternoons at 4PM EST June 20 to July 18 (off July 4).
Class is conducted on Zoom to accommodate students who are traveling. An in-person class may be added if there is overwhelming interest.
This workshop is offered to Fairfield County residents ages 15-20. It is open to students who are in high school, college, trade school, working full-time, traveling, etc.
Students can apply for enrollment here, where they should provide a writing sample. Enrollment will close when the class size has been met (6-8 students).
Each class is 2 hours. The first 30 minutes are dedicated to a short lesson reviewing outside reading, craft elements, and questions. The next 20-30 minutes is free writing from a prompt.
During the second hour, we workshop one or two student submissions and provide constructive criticism and thoughtful feedback.
All submissions should be emailed to the instructor 1-week prior to class start date so that everyone has adequate time to read each piece. The last class will not have a free writing period, rather there will be an opportunity for each student to read an excerpt from any of the piece(s) they worked on during free writes. Syllabus below subject to change to meet student interests.
Week 1 June 20: Diversity in Prose
Week 2 June 27: Sh*tty First Drafts
Week 3 July 11: Revision, Revision, Revision
Week 4 July 18: Be Seen, Get Published
A note on workshop style: Contentious and cruel workshops have long been de rigeur. Thankfully, that is no longer in style. All workshops will be conducted with respect, kindness, empathy, and tolerance. Students will learn how to provide constructive feedback and criticism by identifying what elements are working especially well in a piece, and also what they find confusing, unclear, or feel is helpful to consider for revision. If you’ve ever been in a contentious workshop, you know it can be demoralizing and unhelpful. This workshop intends to build confidence in budding writers and inspire in them a passion for creativity through language.
Tuition is $350 per student for the 4-week class. One scholarship is available to a promising student who needs financial assistance.
Writers’ workshops are fun and inspiring to aspiring writers and established ones alike. They help us improve our own skills and competencies through feedback, but also by learning to read with a critical eye. For those who are applying to college, using a workshop is a great way to nail that college essay, and looks great as an extracurricular on applications. They are also impressive to mention in cover letters and resumes, particularly for internships or jobs in writing, publishing, and grad school.
Rachael Workman is a writer and MFA candidate at the Vermont College of Fine Arts, with an expected graduation date of July 2024. There, she studies creative non-fiction/memoir and fiction. She has been been awarded the 2023 Social Media Fellowship, creating content for the VCFA Writing Program’s Instagram and Facebook. Her work has been published in thedrive.com (car blog), Rind Literary Magazine, Newberry Magazine, and The Dutch Fork Chronicle (no longer in print.) In 2003, Rachael won the Lillian Butler Davey Award in Communications for a short story entitled Mind The Gap. She studies writing with various arts organizations including Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop and Westport Writers’ Workshop, and also co-hosts a small women’s writer group that meets monthly. Additionally, she volunteers as a reader with The Maine Review and Hunger Mountain Review (literary magazines.) Rachael is a graduate of the College of Charleston where she studied Political Science, English, and Gender Studies.
Read more on the About page.
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