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New York Writers Workshop @ the JCC: 2008 Courses

Welcome!

In-class and at-home assignments help novice writers develop the technique and structure for good writing habits. More advanced workshops deal with craft, style, revision, clarification, and getting published. New York's best known writing instructors lead supportive, yet rigorous class discussions of student work.

Levels

Mixed Level Classes

Most classes are appropriate for beginner and intermediate students, including writers who have participated in previous workshops but want to work on technique. Registration for these classes is on a first-come, first-served basis. Call 646.505.5708.

Advanced classes

For experienced and previously published writers who want to refine their work for publication. Registration for advanced classes requires approval of the instructor and a 3–5 page writing sample. Please e-mail samples to writingclasses@jccmanhattan.org or mail to Writing Samples, New York Writers Workshop at the JCC, 334 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10023. For more information, please call 646.505.4374 or visit the JCC's website.
Click the links below to learn more about the 2008 Courses:

Creative Nonfiction

Fiction

Poetry, Playwriting, Multi-Genre

 

 

Creative Nonfiction

 
Advanced Nonfiction Charles Salzberg

The ultimate goal is to prepare your work for publication, whether it's a memoir, personal essay, op-ed piece, magazine article, or nonfiction book. We'll discuss fiction techniques of narration, description, dialogue and structure.

Please reserve early, as this is one of our most popular workshops! Instructor's approval is required.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


10 times on Mondays
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Feb 4 - Apr 7
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWNAN01W8

10 times on Thursdays
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Feb 7 - Apr 10
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWNAN02W8

The Craft of Magazine Writing Bronwen Hruska

The Craft of Magazine Writing is designed to help students write outstanding stories that will get published. The goal is to develop and shepherd ideas from conception to finished article and then go through the process of getting an editor’s attention. The class will cover generating innovative story ideas, developing an effective pitch letter, mastering reporting and interview techniques, and organizing and writing the story. Students will have the opportunity to discuss the process with working editors from national magazines.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


8 times on Wednesdays
6:30 PM - 9:30 PM
Feb 6 - Apr 2
Except: Mar 19
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWNCM00W8
Writing from a Woman's Point of View Sally Koslow

Sally Koslow, a widely published magazine journalist, former editor of McCall's and author of the novel Little Pink Slips, will help you find your voice whether you hope to write a memoir, essay, op-ed piece or fiction. Be prepared for lively discussion and constructive criticism from your fellow writers and a special emphasis on learning to edit your own work. Open to both beginners and published writers. Instructor's approval required.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


10 times on Tuesdays 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Feb 5 - Apr 8
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWNWW00W8

Fiction

 
Advanced Fiction Workshop Maureen Brady

In this class, participants are encouraged to produce new installments of a novel or completed drafts of stories and meet a regular series of deadlines. Work is read in advance for discussion in class and critique is rigorous and thorough but sensitive. The instructor also suggests readings and conducts discussions on elements of story writing, such as timing, tension, plot and development of character.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


10 times on Wednesdays
6:45 PM - 8:45 PM
Feb 6 - Apr 9
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWFAF00W8

Getting Started Alix Strauss

You’re desperate to write, but are feeling overwhelmed and unmotivated. You know you’re creative, but you just don’t know how to get started. Through a series of in-class exercises and take-home assignments, you’ll have your creative juices not only stirring, but overflowing. Through assignments, group exercises, and class discussions, you'll gain an understanding of the components that go into creating a successful story while learning how to start and finish one. You'll also receive encouraging constructive feedback in a supportive environment. No writing experience necessary.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


8 times on Tuesdays
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Feb 5 - Mar 25
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWFGS00W8
Intermediate/Advanced Fiction Rachel Sherman

Are you almost ready to commit to a piece of work but need help deciding what you want to focus on? Do you have a novel or short story still in the beginning stages? We will focus on figuring out what you really want to write, and get it started, or work on something you have written, and make it 'shine.' The class will be structured around weekly writing workshops, in-class exercises, and constructive criticism from both the teacher and your peers. Finally you will be able to tell your 'big' story! This class is designed for you to continue on to Advanced Fiction.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


10 times on Tuesdays
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Feb 5 - Apr 8
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWFIA00W8
Introduction to the Novel Jonathan Rabb

If you've had the first ten pages of that novel sitting in your desk drawer for too long, or have been wondering how to revise and refine that 800-page tome you've let gather dust, then come and let us put a little fire under you. In a workshop format, with different exercises each week, we'll tackle structure, voice, narrative cadence, and more. Whether you're working on literary fiction, historical fiction, chick-lit, thriller, etc., there are elements of each in every book, since everthing comes down to sources of conflict, moments of resolution (or missed opportunities at resolution) and, always-at the heart of it all-character. Open to committed first-timers, as well as seasoned pros.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


8 times on Thursdays
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Feb 7 - Mar 27
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWFIN00W8

Once upon a Time: How To Write A Story Jonathan Kravetz

You have a hundred good ideas, but you never get to the end; or you have a great ending, but you don’t know how to build the story to achieve your vision. In this class, we will explore the process, techniques and importance of storytelling with an eye toward combining structure with intuition—the marriage of form and inspiration that master storytellers make seamless. Using exercises and in-class constructive critiques, we will begin answering important questions about our writing and establish a solid foundation for future writing by developing a method to our madness. Students will be expected to bring in works-in-progress and contribute to in-class discussions.ou have a hundred good ideas, but you never get to the end. Or you have a great ending, but you don't know how to build the story to achieve your vision. In this class, we will explore the process, techniques and importance of storytelling with an eye toward discovering the happy medium between the structure that is essential to good storytelling and the intuition that the masters make seamless. Students will be expected to bring in works-in-progress and contribute to in-class discussions.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


10 times on Mondays
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Feb 4 - Apr 7
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWOUT00W8

Poetry, Playwriting, Multi-Genre

 
The Soul of a Poem Hermine Meinhard

Learn to draw on those elusive aspects of experience that give a poem its depth and mystery. Using weekly in-class exercises, physical objects, language, outside texts and personal journals, students will connect to their deepest material. In addition, an emphasis on critical issues of form—line, space, and rhythm—will help students refine poems and shape them into finished works.

Location: The JCC in Manhattan, 334 Amsterdam Ave. at 76th St. (Program room assignments will be available at the JCC Customer Service Desk, in the lobby of the Samuel Priest Rose Building.)

For more information, or to register, please call 646-505-5708.


8 times on Wednesdays
6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
Feb 6 - Mar 26
$350.00 - Member
$400.00 - Non-Member
ELWPSP00W8