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Writopia Lab runs creative writing workshops and camps , college essay workshops (and private sessions ), and so much more in the DC Metro area.

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• New Program: Sports Writing
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If you love writing and want to share that love with young writers, apply today to join Writopia Lab! Click here to learn more!

Creative Writing Academy

• How to Apply

Summer 2024 Applications are CLOSED. Summer 2025 Applications will open in late Fall.

Transform your dreams, ideas, and stories into organized, compelling, creative written works with dynamic lectures in craft topics, workshop sessions with graduate student instructors, and insightful, productive feedback from your peers. This combination of instructional approaches will help you generate and polish a wealth of new poems, stories, and essays, and allow you to experiment with innovative forms in the field of creative writing. The Academy will also focus on the publishing and professionalization aspects of the industry, exploring what markets are available for your writing, what jobs are available to creative writers, funding opportunities for your work, undergraduate and graduate programs in writing, and how to get published. Topics for discussion will include literary form and targeted craft points, often in relation to social, political, and environmental themes. In addition, this week-long program will feature excursions to sites around Washington, D.C., including an exercise in ekphrastic writing at the National Gallery of Art and the chance to read your work aloud at Busboys and Poets, a famous D.C. literary hub.

Estimated Tuition:

Price includes tuition, housing, and meals. Commuter Student tuition is $2,625.

How You'll Benefit

• Participate in writing workshops
• Awaken your powers of observation, imagination, and description
• Learn concrete elements of the craft of writing in daily workshops
• Attend readings from published authors, who will lead interactive classes and conduct group discussions
• Work with Georgetown's expert creative writing faculty to bring out your most creative ideas
• Read excerpts from award-winning works and use them to develop your own original works
• Visit local monuments, world-renowned theaters, museums, and literary organizations
• Take part in peer critiques and learn how to revise and refine your writing

Program Format & Subject Areas

As a student in the Creative Writing Academy, you'll spend your day immersed in a blend of classroom lectures, field trips, hands-on activities, and group discussions. Throughout the week, you'll have the opportunity to explore the following subject areas:

• Personal prose
• Literary history
• Technique (story structure, character development, theme, description, dialogue)
• Finding good ideas and turning them into polished pieces
• Using great literature and art for inspiration

All in all, I fell in love with the program. I got to meet so many amazing people not only from the D.C. area but all around the country.

Having the chance to experience once in a lifetime opportunities and getting to meet people from around the world made it so I got to really experience what college life was like.

My #SummerHoya experience was enriching, inspiring, and rewarding; if I could turn back the clock, I’d do it all over again.

It was amazing to be surrounded by such high caliber students and staff who were all encouraging and fabulous to work with. I took away many positive things from my week as a Summer Hoya.

As I am filling out my college applications, I am able to think back to my memories from the summer and I am reassured that I am pursuing the right educational path.

The program offers so much–from the off-site visits to the daily lectures and the on campus activities. The lectures were interesting, meeting new people was great and the off-site visits were interactive and intriguing.

Want to learn more?

Request information to find out the latest on the Summer Programs for High School Students.

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Learn about The Writer's Center

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Writing Workshops

The Writer’s Center offers hundreds of writing workshops and classes every year. Workshops cover all genres and all experience levels. Join us in person and online.

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Event views navigation, finding subjects that move and entertain.

Do you have sensibility of a writer, but your subject eludes you? Have you written many pieces but not the story you were born to tell? Does your subject feel too big, too vague, or perhaps too difficult to confront? Uncertain what genre suits your story? Using published examples, writing exercises, lively discussion, and inspiring instruction, this workshop will distill from memory and imagination the story you are meant to write. Perfect for new writers wishing to explore and for more advanced writers seeking fresh inspiration or a new direction to energize their work.

Creating Conflict & Tension

It’s often said that without conflict there is no story. Strengthening the conflict in any type of fiction will bump up the tension and turn limp, ordinary fiction into an extraordinary tale that will keep readers turning pages. Whether you choose to write literary fiction, mysteries, family sagas, thrillers, historical fiction, sci-fi, fantasy or even creative nonfiction—you can learn techniques for drawing readers into your tales through action, dialogue, setting details, and plot twists that make your work stand out from the crowd. Join us and leave with ideas to apply to your stories.

Write Through It: A Generative Workshop on Grief and Loss

Grief and loss are topics often written about in poetry. In this workshop we’ll read poems about loss and use them as prompts to write our own poems about the people/things/places/ideas we’ve lost or are grieving. Expect to write 2-4 new drafts of poems.

UnClogging Your Brain

Prompts will spark memories, characters, and places, turning them into poems, scenes, dialogues, and stories. During ‘UnClogging’ you will likely come up with an ‘idea’ that you feel compelled to expand on, or perhaps be re-inspired to continue an unfinished work later. Find new perspective and confidence!

5 Women Poets

One outstanding poet will be featured in each class, and as we examine their work we will write 3 or 4 of our own poems, for a total of 15-20 poems during the course. We will share our work as we write it, and in the last class will workshop a few of the most promising pieces by each student. The poets we will learn from are Ada Limón, Linda Pastan, Natasha Trethewey, Denise Levertov, and Elizabeth Bishop—they will guide us with new and old forms, metaphor, voice, subject matter, and more. Note: No meeting July 4.

Freedom With Forms

Here’s an opportunity to shed any misconception that received forms are constricting. Inspired by Richard Moore’s “The Rule That Liberates,” we will do brief writing exercises that use the enchantment of meter and rhyme to liberate your deeper imagination. After exploring several traditional forms, we will experiment with creating improvised (nonce) forms. Participants may leave with at least one new draft poem and ideas for creating more.

Inspiration Station — A Multi-Genre Workshop

Helpful exercises and prompts can free your imagination and lead you to surprises in your writing. If you’ve already chosen a genre to pursue, this workshop can help you broaden your approach by using techniques from other genres. If you write poems, perhaps you could write poetic fiction. This will be a positive space in a can’t-fail atmosphere. Your writing is greeted with support and (often) applause from your workshop colleagues. Receive generative tips to take with you. You will leave with a finished poem and flash fiction or memoir excerpts—and the fun you had writing them. Bring your favorite writing instruments. If you have a poem or paragraph you love that makes you want to write, bring that too.

Vulnerability in Personal Storytelling

Each of us has the power to look at our lived experiences to find meaning and wisdom that we can transform however we want: into art, into lifestyle, into legacy. In this workshop, you will learn how to view creative vulnerability as generosity, and how to offer up your humanity through story as a gift to yourself and others. You will come away from this workshop with perspective on your unique storyteller type and how grasping it can build courage, as well as best practices for taking care of yourself as you do this introspective work. Writers will produce a rough draft of a personal story.

Natural Meter Crash Course

Have you ever wondered how scanning the lines of your first draft can make for a better poem? Here’s an opportunity to improve your ear for meter—a major element of poetic prosody—and to fine-tune your understanding of how it works. Guided by an internationally published author of sonnets, villanelles, and other metrical poems, this one-day workshop includes scansion of well-known poems, writing exercises, and, if you like, close examination of a poem you’ve drafted prior to class. You’ll leave with new insights about improving the auditory qualities of all your poems and prose.

Plot Like a Pro

You have a great idea for a story. Do you dive in and just begin writing, or start by drafting an outline? Are you a born planner or a writer who loves to discover stories organically (i.e., a pantser)? Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Plotting provides a safety net that never robs the author of the joy of writing, and always reduces revision time. Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!

Picture Book Revision Workshop

Bring your completed picture book manuscript to work on as we complete real-time revision that addresses the big picture, plot and character beats, and line by line strengths and weaknesses of your manuscript.

How To Write, Pitch, and Place Op Eds

Learn from an expert how to format, write, and pitch your opinion. Second only to the Front Page, the OP ED page is read by more readers than any other. In this class you’ll learn how to write an opening paragraph that pulls readers in, what factual sources editors trust (or don’t), the three questions an OP ED editor needs you to answer, how to take down opposing arguments politely, and end your piece to get results. Each session presents important information, from what words constitute an editor’s red flags to what’s in the contract you’ll sign. Each session presents a lecture with specific examples and offers a workshop to let you practice and receive feedback—if you wish it.

My Favorite Things: Writing About Ordinary Objects and Places

Contrary to what you’ve been told, poetry can be accessible and profound by paying attention to the mundane. In this workshop we will write a new poem each meeting based on odes, praise songs, and, yes, our favorite things to arrive at the pleasures and wisdom of poetry.

How to Write Dialogue That Advances Plot, Scene, and Motive

In each session of this workshop, you’ll hear a brief lecture with examples, and be able to practice a particular technique to understand the why and how it’seffective. Participants who wish to read their practice work aloud for quick feedback may do so.

The Complete Playwright

Dig into the full spectrum of playwriting — with workshops on process, form and technique, and group critique sessions that develop your individual approach to writing for performance. Over eight weeks, we’ll explore playwriting in a wide range of forms: from realism and adaptations to immersive theatre, musicals and verbatim plays. In-depth sessions on writing dialogue, crafting character and dramatic world-building will be paired with weekly critique sessions, giving each writer dedicated time to interrogate your ideas and find your unique style. You’ll come away with a full understanding of the playwright’s tools and techniques and new connections with fellow scriptwriters.

Point of View and Narrative Voice

Do the multitude of Point of View options elude you? We will look at everything from the first person point of view to the editorial omniscient, as well as some of the less traditional points of view, to help you choose the best voice to tell your story.

Intro to the Novel

This workshop will help you understand the process of writing a novel so you can get started putting pen to paper. The workshop will focus on everything from generating ideas to developing characters to establishing point of view. Participants will discuss many elements of fiction (dialogue, scene, etc.) but the emphasis will be on discovering the writing process that works best for each writer.

Creative Spirit: Infusing Your Writing with Energy and Inspiration

Are you struggling to find your voice as a writer? Do you have a story to tell but feel stuck in the creative process? No matter your beliefs, spirituality and open-mindedness can play a critical role in the creative process if we allow it and nurture it. In a safe and supportive space, reintroduce your childlike wonder around creativity so you can write freely, authentically reclaim your power, and uncover your true gifts. In this workshop you will learn to facilitate a concentrated focus and tap into a higher source of inspiration, whether viewed as the highest self, inner wisdom, or any other entity. You will walk away with efficient ways to set intentions for different writing projects, stay in the present, trust your process, set healthy boundaries, and follow signs and intuition. You will have the information necessary to create a sacred space and ritual for your writing practice, motivating you to enrich your content and deepen your message.

How to Start a Compelling Story

This workshop will teach writers how to capture readers’ and agents’ attention from the very first sentence and keep them turning pages. We will examine the way successful authors of both fiction and nonfiction draw us in, make us care, and create stakes in which we are immediately invested. By the end of this workshop participants will have created their own compelling story start upon which to build.

How to Write a Lot

You may think you don’t have the time, energy, or inspiration to write because of your hectic lifestyle. Wrong! Learn what Kathryn Johnson’s Extreme Novelists know about organizing their time, establishing a productive writing routine, and getting their stories written. We’ll share methods EN Grads (and many professional writers) use to complete their books in months instead of years, their short stories in mere weeks. Become the dedicated author you’ve always dreamed of being.

Find the Right Agent for You: Submission Package Workshop Class

To get a book published by a traditional publisher, you need an agent. In this class you will learn how to research agents to find the right one for you. After studying sample query letters, you’ll write your own query to be critiqued by your classmates. We will also workshop everyone’s opening pages and discuss topics such as conference pitch sessions, common query mistakes, and agent red-flags. By the end of the workshop, you will be ready to send query submissions to the agents of your choice. (Although you do not need to bring it to class, you should have a completed manuscript you are hoping to publish through traditional publishing.)

Marketing Your Poetry

This workshop will show you easy hacks for promoting your book. With small presses a popular choice for publishing, more writers are looking for ways to market their books when their publishers don’t have the resources. Courtney LeBlanc has published with small presses and have experience with grassroots marketing. She has successfully gotten her books included in festivals, author events, and into bookstores. The tips she will offer are low/no-cost, which is beneficial for writers on a budget.

Fiction II: Revise, Perfect and Submit!

This course aims to help you experience your work objectively, help you polish your work, and give you tools to submit to either literary journals, competitions, or agents. We will workshop, give and receive constructive, concrete feedback, discuss peer submissions, do writing exercises, critique query letters and talk about all things publishing.

Elements of Writing: Sound & Vision

As Rumi once wrote, “I can’t stop pointing to the beauty. Every moment and place says, ‘Put this design in your carpet!” In this exploratory four-week generative workshop, we will engage multidisciplinary modes of creativity to guide inspiration for writing. Using sound and vision as the aperture to ignite the inner dialogue, each week will integrate these mediums to engage a sensory interplay and weave a tapestry for the written word. Within this collaborative expression, we will utilize visual objects and music as the streaming catalysts for our subconscious intellect.

What a Character!

An introduction to the key elements and craft strategies of fiction, with a focus on creating and refining character-based stories (whether short stories or novels).

Persona Poem Crash Course

In the Persona Poem, or Dramatic Monologue, the poet writes in the voice of another real or imagined person—or even an inanimate object. Guided by a widely published author of persona and other poems, you will read and discuss several time-honored examples, then start new ones of your own. You may find unexpected insights, expanding your poetic range in the process.

Poetry Writing and Revision

For some poets, the most difficult part of writing is getting to the page. For others, it is the act of revisiting that first draft. This course will help students not only write new work with ease, but also return to those poems with a keen eye towards revision. To start, participants will respond to weekly prompts with a craft focus, based on readings from poets like Ada Limón, Chen Chen, Jericho Brown, and Natalie Diaz. Mid-way through the course, we will shift our focus to revision, reapproaching the poems from earlier weeks. Readings will outline various revision strategies and techniques aimed at giving students new entry points into their work. By the end of the course, students can expect to have written at least 3-6 new poems, with 3 substantial revisions. There will be 1 opportunity to receive feedback from other students and multiple opportunities for feedback from the instructor, but this is not an entirely workshop-style course. Students should have at least one poem in its early draft stages to begin the course.

Generative Poetry Intensive with Jose Hernandez Diaz

Work with acclaimed poet and teacher Jose Hernandez Diaz to complete new work and get it ready for publication Looking to finish up a poetry or prose poetry manuscript? Need […]

Troubleshooting Your Fiction

Revision is a dirty word to some writers. But you needn’t fear the challenges of polishing a manuscript before submission and publication. This fast-paced, half-day class focuses on the ten most common mistakes and concerns, often overlooked by authors before they send their story out into the world. Everything you do to your manuscript after the first draft is what makes the difference between a ho-hum story and a powerful tale that lingers in readers’ minds. Join us for a painless look at the major revision issues for fiction.

Poetry Vs. Trauma

Trauma can shut us down; writing poems can help free us to open up again. This workshop will present some of the many ways poetry has helped writers both heal trauma and prevent post-traumatic stress syndrome. Guided by an internationally published poet, you will explore the science behind this and learn a range of techniques, immediately putting several of them to use in drafting new work. The workshop includes reading and discussion of time-honored poems, close attention to emotional and sensory aspects of poetry, several class writing exercises, and feedback on poems for those who wish to share them. (Note: All sharing is optional. This workshop is not a substitute for therapy.)

Exercises to Improve Your Writing

Not only will you learn from expert feedback in this workshop, you can continue to learn from this workshop even after it’s over. Exercises offered in this workshop are designed for repeated use in your practice at home—including some tailored to jump-start your inspiration.

August 2024

Diy novel revision.

Do you have a finished draft of a novel but don’t know what to do next? This workshop will take you through the revision and editing process step-by-step. From large-picture issues like plot and structure, characterization, etc… to line editing, we will look at what it takes to revise your own novel without the assistance of a professional editor.

How to Write A Grant Proposal

Learn how to write proposals to request grants from funders. This workshop will cover how to research prospective funders, the elements of a good proposal, and how to approach funders. Proposal writing is a practical skill that, applied to those who work or volunteer for non-profit organizations, can be a good source of freelance writing income. Please come to class with a non-profit or project in mind to use as the focus of your research and proposal. By the end of class, you will have a draft of a proposal to use for fundraising. Note: The workshop will meet August 3, 10, and 17. There will be a fourth meeting on September 14 to review your finished proposal.

Ready, Set, Write! A Generative Fiction Workshop

Join this two-hour generative writing session that will help you shake off your inner editor and put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). If you’ve been uninspired in your creativity lately, feel like your work could use a jolt, or just want to give yourself dedicated writing time, this session is structured to encourage creativity and playfulness. A range of prompts, short reading selections, and class discussion—along with in-class writing time—will introduce different craft techniques, styles, and approaches that will pump up your inspiration and get the words flowing. By the end of the session, you’ll have the start for 4-5 new story drafts.

Poetic Memoir

Do you want to approach personal memoir in short, manageable high points rather than attempting a long running narrative? Poems can capture the most meaningful moments of your life and evoke their essence in a reader. In this course you’ll begin to learn how to focus on such moments and present them so they illustrate you in your life and imply its arc. You’ll draft one poem after the first session and have a clear sense of how to revise it by the end of the second.

Book Promotion Through Podcasting

Podcasting is one of the easiest ways to get your book and your voice out there, and we’ll not only be looking at how to find good podcasts and get booked on them, we’ll even talk about how to start your own podcast!

Ekphrastic Poetry

Find new ways to enter your drafts and deepen your revisions by writing poems about the visual arts (ekphrastic poems). We’ll read and discuss a variety of ekphrastic poems to inspire your own writing and enhance your craft skills (line, image, repetition, point of view, etc.). You’ll find new ways to access common themes, explore new terrain, and braid two narratives to enrich your poems. Each week, with provided prompts, you’ll be encouraged to visit a local gallery/museum and write about an artwork that moves you. Students will read aloud drafts for feedback of general appreciation and using a writer-focused workshop process, we’ll replace opinions and invasive “fix-its” with specific feedback to best serve the poet and support them in revisions. This class is perfect for poets looking to deepen their own creative process, write about art, and enhance their skills with feedback and revision.

Short Story I

Participants will bring in work which to be workshopped by the entire class. This workshop will teach participnats how to edit other’s work, read like a writer, scrutinize sentences, and how to submit to magazines.

Best Served Cold: Writing Revenge Poems

This generative workshop will review and discuss poems that serve, in some way, a bit of revenge on someone. We’ll then write our own revenge poems, participants can expect to leave with 2-4 new drafts of poems.

Journaling Techniques for Writing Memories

This workshop is about the pursuit of insight through writing personal memories. Whether you currently keep a journal or want to start journaling to nurture a consistent writing practice, in this two-day workshop you will learn journaling techniques that help you recall significant memories and explore the meaning behind those experiences. We will explore how a memoir writer’s journal differs from a regular journal, how to get your memoir journal started, and how to work with your captured memories to create a single storyline.

Write Like the News

Lead with the future — not background — for lead-ership, especially in a crisis. That’s the most important of eight journalism skills that will transform your writing. The others: write your readers’ language, be positive (to be both clear and upbeat), lay out logically, be consistent, be precise, be concise and choose strong verbs. (Plus a Speak Like the News skill: avoid “uptalk?”) Emulate the vivid news examples you’ll see in this workshop, and you’ll strengthen your writing voice with lively, engaging news style. At 7 sharp, we’ll critique TheWallStreetJournal.com, seeing how to communicate your main point in just a few words. To cover as much ground as possible, we’ll have just a few writing exercises and most of them will take less than a minute each.

September 2024

Crafting your life into story.

Following a tried-and-true formula (“Once upon a time . . . . Then, one day . . .”), you will learn how to identify, begin, and structure an autobiographical story, whether fiction or non-fiction. Participants will finish the workshop with the plots of at least three new autobiographical works, a two-page beginning of a new essay, story, novel, or memoir, or a revised beginning of their work-in-progress. Participants should bring either paper and pen or a writing device.Part 1: Learn how to begin and structure your new work. Part 2 (two weeks later): Workshop the drafts (5 pages max.) of your new work.

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Washington, D.C., Resources for Writers

Here you’ll find a collection of resources for writers in Washington, D.C., from conferences to local critique groups to literary magazines. If you’re looking for writing groups near you, writing workshops near you, creative writing classes near you, or simply a place to hang out with writers or submit your work, these are some Washington, D.C., writing organizations you might want to check out:

WriteByNight

For more than a decade, WriteByNight has helped writers in D.C. and beyond achieve their literary goals. And we want you to be next! Claim your free consultation  to learn about WBN’s customizable  one-on-one writers’ services , including:

Book Coaching :  If you’re writing a book and want some help along the way.

Manuscript Critique : If you’ve written a book and want a beta read, critique, or writing workshop.

Editing/Proofreading : If you’ve written a book and want someone to polish it for you.

Publication Assistance : If you’ve written a book and want help finding an agent or publisher.

A literary arts organization offering writing workshops, an author series, and eventually a writer’s residency in Winchester, VA.

D.C.’s branch of the nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write.

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop

Offers classes and writing workshops in a wide variety of genres.

Conversations and Connections

Annual conference run by  Barrel House that features editors from a mix of established and cutting-edge literary magazines and small presses, all of whom will help you take the next step in publishing your work.

Hurston/Wright Workshop

A 2-day writing workshop for writers published or unpublished; offers peer review, instructor feedback, and a community of African American writers with which to share ideas and solutions.

The Inner Loop

A literary reading series and network in the D.C. metro area that also offers writing contests, residencies, retreats, and more.

An organization offering writing workshops, readings, retreats, write-ins, and more for writers in D.C., Virginia, and Maryland.

National Book Festival

The Library of Congress’ annual 2-day festival featuring author readings, signings, panel discussions and much more.

Politics and Prose Classes and Trips

Writing workshops and literary excursions from one of D.C.’s most popular bookstores.

Shout Mouse Press

A nonprofit press offering writing workshops and professional publication, allowing young people (12+) from marginalized backgrounds to sharpen their writing and storytelling skills and gain experience publishing their work.

Split This Rock

Dedicated to revitalizing poetry as a living, breathing art form with profound relevance in our daily lives and struggles. Its programs integrate poetry of provocation and witness into movements for social justice and support the poets of all ages who write and perform this vital work.

Stand-Up Studios

Comedy and storytelling classes for all levels.

Story District

Gives voice to people’s life experiences, supports artistic expression, builds community, and contributes to D.C.’s cultural capital and creative economy by promoting and teaching the art of autobiographical storytelling.

The Writer’s Center

Cultivates the creation, publication, presentation and dissemination of literary work through writing workshops, author readings and panels, and more.

Help us add to this list, Washington, D.C.-ans! Do you know of writing groups near you, writing workshops near you, creative writing classes near you, or a Washington, D.C., literary journal we should be aware of? Let us know here

Today's session was awesome. I feel unblocked. I have concrete tools I can use to unblock over and over again from now on. And I have writing I want to do in front of me. That's just amazing for a single session! Sid Kemp Boca Raton, Florida

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WBN has helped writers publish with:

Simon & Schuster Little, Brown & Co. St. Martin’s Press Amazon Slate Threepenny Review Huffington Post

WriteByNight, LLC 235 West End Avenue, 6H New York, New York 10023

646.374.8174 [email protected]

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Creative Writing Program

The University of Washington English Department's Creative Writing Program offers a BA in English with a concentration in Creative Writing and a two-year Master of Fine Arts  degrees in Poetry and Prose. 

Founded in 1947 by Theodore Roethke, the Creative Writing Program's tradition of transformative workshops continues with our current faculty:  David Bosworth , Nikki David Crouse ,  Rae Paris ,  David Shields,  and  Maya Sonenberg  (Prose), and  Linda Bierds (part-time) ,  Andrew Feld ,  Richard Kenney,  and  Pimone Triplett  (Poetry).  They include among their many honors fellowships from the MacArthur Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts, as well as prizes such as the Flannery O’Connor Award in Short Fiction and the McCarthy Prize. The list of our alumni publications represents a significant chapter in the history of American literature. To see recent examples of our MFA Program alumni publications, see the article MFA Program Graduates Publish at Impressive Rates in our Spring 2022 English Matters newsletter .

The MFA Program remains purposely small, admitting only ten students per year. The relatively small size of our program (20 students at most at any given time) allows for close associations to develop among students and faculty. The first year is devoted to participation in workshops and literary seminars, and the second year allows for concentrated work on a creative manuscript and critical essay under the supervision of two creative writing faculty members. 

The BA in English with a Creative Writing Concentration prepares students not only to be more effective communicators and artists, but also creative problem solvers and more nuanced critical thinkers. By situating small, student-oriented writing workshops alongside literary models, Creative Writing classes enhance the broader study of literature and critical theory, helping students gain a greater understanding of the social and cultural forces informing their work. A student completing the program is more able to situate themselves in a larger aesthetic and social context and make more meaningful, informed decisions about their own artistic practice. In addition, through the intense practice of creative writing, students are able to see the world more clearly, in a more nuanced and meaningful manner, and apply these skills to a wide variety of work and life situations.

Director:  Nikki David Crouse

Program Coordinator: Shannon Mitchell 

Graduate Program Advisor: Tim Cosgrove

Undergraduate Program Advising: Humanities Academic Services

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13 Best Creative Writing Classes in Washington

Showing 13 courses that match your search.

Crafting Your Life into Story

The Writer's Center

Learn how to identify several pivotal events of your life and shape one of them into a work of fiction or non-fiction. Following a tried-and-true formula, you will learn how to identify, begin, and structure an autobiographical story, whether fiction or non-fiction.

Website: https://writer.org/event/crafting-your-life-into-story/

Categories: Essay, Memoir, Nonfiction, Book, Fiction, and Short Story

Start date:

September, 2024

Prerequisites: No prerequisites

How to Write A Grant Proposal

Learn how to write proposals to request grants from funders. This workshop will cover how to research prospective funders, the elements of a good proposal, and how to approach funders.

Website: https://writer.org/event/how-to-write-a-grant-proposal-2/

Categories: Nonfiction and Technical

August, 2024

Plot Like a Pro

Understanding how to structure a well-conceived story around a main character and central conflict, while paying attention to pacing, can make the difference between a finished, publishable manuscript and an abandoned work-in-progress. Think you can’t plot? Join us for this course, and we’ll show you how!

Website: https://writer.org/event/plot-like-a-pro-2/

Categories: Book, Fiction, and Short Story

How to Write a Novel

Your story matters. Unlock your potential with daily video lessons from bestselling ghostwriter Tom Bromley, and finish your first draft in just 3 months. Learn more →

Micro Memoirs

Join us to explore the elements of memoir in small manageable bites. We’ll read and discuss Micro Memoirs, also called Flash Memoir, (50-250 words) to inspire your own writing and enhance your storytelling skills.

Website: https://writer.org/event/micro-memoirs/

Categories: Memoir and Nonfiction

Poetic Memoir

Poems can capture the most meaningful moments of your life and evoke their essence in a reader. In this course you’ll begin to learn how to focus on such moments and present them so they illustrate you in your life and imply its arc.

Website: https://writer.org/event/poetic-memoir/

Categories: Memoir, Nonfiction, and Poetry

Marketing Your Poetry

With small presses a popular choice for publishing, more writers are looking for ways to market their books when their publishers don’t have the resources. This workshop will show you easy hacks for promoting your book.

Website: https://writer.org/event/marketing-your-poetry/

Categories: Poetry and Publishing

What a Character!

An introduction to the key elements and craft strategies of fiction, with a focus on creating and refining character-based stories (whether short stories or novels).

Website: https://writer.org/event/what-a-character/

Getting Your Poetry Published

This intensive one-day workshop will offer all poets—whether they have yet to submit their first poem to a literary journal or are ready to present a publisher with a book-length manuscript—hands-on advice on how to achieve their publishing goals.

Website: https://writer.org/event/getting-your-poetry-published/

April, 2024

Creative Courage and Self-Care for Writers

This workshop addresses the overlooked work of cultivating the discernment, mindset and habits necessary to sustain us through the emotional challenges of the creative life. In this class, you will work through writing exercises that identify limiting beliefs, clarify your needs and motivations, and rejuvenate your creative process.

Website: https://writer.org/event/creative-courage-and-self-care-f...

Categories: Book, Fiction, and Nonfiction

Intro to Sketch Comedy (Online)

DC Improv Comedy School

A beginner's guide to sketch comedy that will take you from a premise to a fully realized sketch. This course will walk you through the elements of a sketch and how to write good sketches; it also features workshop sessions where you'll do read-throughs and get feedback on writing assignments.

Website: https://www.dcimprov.com/comedy-school/sketch/bad-medicin...

Categories: Comedy

Open all year round

Categories: Book, Poetry, and Publishing

Creative Writing Academy

Georgetown University

This program is designed for high school students to transform their ideas into creative written works. It includes dynamic lectures on craft topics, workshop sessions, and peer feedback. The academy covers various creative writing genres and aspects of the publishing industry, including opportunities for students to read their work at notable literary locations in Washington, D.C. The estimated tuition is $3,389, which includes housing and meals for residential students, with a reduced rate for commuters.

Website: https://summer.georgetown.edu/programs/SHS07/creative-wri...

Categories: Poetry, Short Story, and Essay

So you’re looking for creative writing classes in Washington

The nation’s capital isn’t just for the business suits—it’s also the halls of some towering literary history. From Walt Whitman to Langston Hughes, many of literature’s greatest stars have sat down on the Mall and emerged with their most enduring hits. So if you, too, are looking to work at this craft, you may want to consider taking a creative writing class in Washington.  

This directory of the best writing courses in Washington is meant to help you locate the right one for yourself.  We’ve included filters for price and genre so that you can quickly sort through the writing classes. And before you commit to any one writing class, consider the following questions:

• Who is the instructor?
• What is the price of the writing course?
• How far away is the writing course in Washington? Is there a remote alternative?
• How long could the course last?

Got any questions about finding the right writing class in Washington for you? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected] . Good luck!

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TOP 10 CREATIVE WRITING COURSES IN WASHINGTON DC, USA

List of available Creative Writing Courses in Washington DC, USA.

The Creative Writing courses in Washington DC are provided by the following institutes:

Also, check out all Creative Writing Courses from all over USA .

• Online Creative Writing Courses

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About the D.C. Creative Writing Workshop

The D.C. Creative Writing Workshop, based in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Southeast D.C., unites parents, teachers and students to create a literary renaissance in this often ignored part of the city.

Since 1995, when Charles Hart Junior High became the first school in Washington to have an extra-curricular creative writing program, the Workshop’s writers-in-residence have introduced thousands of students to the joys of self-expression and the written word, opening for them a world of opportunity that exists outside of the historically neglected area in which they live.

While continuing to serve Hart, now a middle school, the Workshop expanded its programs in 2004 to neighboring Ballou High School and Simon Elementary. Students from these schools and nearby charter schools have attended readings, plays and other literary events, won hundreds of writing awards, and enjoyed a wealth of new experiences not otherwise available to young people in Ward 8.

WRITERS-IN-RESIDENCE

Nancy Schwalb, Executive Director and Writer-in-Residence

Nancy Schwalb is the founder and Executive Director of the D.C. Creative Writing Workshop. She has an MFA in creative writing from George Mason University and has taught creative writing at Hart Middle School since 1995. Her work has been published in the GW Review , the Washington City Paper , Vanity Fair , Barragua , Argus , and the English Journal . She has served as a teaching fellow for the KennedyCenter, is a six-time Larry Neal Award winner, won the 2002 Shayne Nonprofit Leadership Award, and was honored as a Local Hero by the Bank of America Foundation in 2011. Schwalb was a founding member of D.C. WritersCorps, and also a co-founder of the D.C. Youth Poetry Slam League. She has four years of experience doing poetry therapy with children, adolescents, and adults at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. Additionally, she has completed specialist training in Substance Abuse Prevention (ADASA, Gaston Neal), Mental Health (Biloti Lawrence), Conflict Resolution (United Way), and Violence and Substance Abuse Reduction (Department of Justice).

Patrick Washington, Writer-in-Residence

Patrick Washington (aka Black Picasso) is regarded by many as one of the country’s premier performance poets. Patrick represents classic poetry for the hip-hop generation. Forged in Washington D.C.’s now-legendary U Street Poetry Scene, Patrick is a master of genre fusion. A Def Poetry Slam Champion, Patrick became a semi-regular performer on HBO Presents Russell Simmons Def Poetry. He is half of the duo POEM-CEES, a musical group that has four full length albums and has been featured in dozens of compilations. He has conducted interactive workshops for The American Poetry Museum and has been a teaching artist for Words Beats & Life. Patrick has also led workshops for: Young Audiences of Maryland, America Scores, Youthbuild, and the Gateway Community Development Corporation.

Ashley Stevenson, Writer-in-Residence

Ashley Stevenson has participated in the Workshop every year since she was a sixth grader at Hart Middle School, through graduation at Ballou Senior High, and after graduation. Ashley won many writing awards and, as a longtime Workshop participant and leader, has a great deal of authority with the students.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

John Cotman, Chair Abbey Chung Susan Gerson Helen Hooper Bernie Horn Brian Gilmore William Newlin Nancy Schwalb

ADVISORY BOARD

Toi Derricotte, Award-winning poet and professor at the University of Pittsburgh Rita Dove, Former Poet Laureate of the United States and professor at the University of Virginia Cornelius Eady, Finalist for the National Book Award in Poetry Nikki Giovanni, Grammy-nominated poet and professor at Virginia Tech University

FORMER WRITERS-IN-RESIDENCE

Bomani Armah, best known for his single “ Read a Book ” Dwayne Betts, author of A Question of Freedom: A Memoir of Learning, Survival, and Coming of Age in Prison and other books; in 2021, Dwayne won a prestigious MacArthur Foundation “Genius” Award Derrick Weston Brown, author of Wisdom Teeth Abbey Chung, author of Alien Virus Love Disaster: Stories Kerry Danner-McDonald, professor at Georgetown University Andrew Evans, author of The Black Penguin and numerous travel books Jamila Felton, poet and mixed media artist Andy Fogle, author of The Last Apprenticeship and several other books of poetry Alan King, author of Point Blank Ruby McCann, known for both her poetry and plays Marla Melito, author of The Doppler Effect and professor at Skidmore College Venus Thrash, author of The Fateful Apple and co-editor of Beltway Poetry Quarterly

FORMER PLAY & MOVIE DIRECTORS

Kathleen Akerley Tom Mallan Kerri Rambow Scott Sedar John Vreeke

Founded in 2000, the Workshop has given over 8,500 students their first experience with the literary arts and taken hundreds to see their first play.

June 24 - June 28 — Jr. Storytellers Write-Your-Book Camp  (Jr. Level: Rising 7-9 Graders) 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.  Enrollment Cap: 8 Students Instructor: Suzanne Zweizig Location: Hera Hub DC, 5028 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite #100

Read More/Enroll

June 24 - June 28— Creative Writing Level II--Fiction  (Sr. Level: Rising 10-12 Graders) 1 p.m.-4 p.m.  Enrollment Cap: 8 Students Instructor: Laura Scalzo Location: Hera Hub DC, 5028 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite #100

July 15 - July 19 — Intro to Creative Writing I - EcoWriting (Sr. Level: Rising 10-12 Graders) 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.  Enrollment Cap: 8 Students Instructor: Suzanne Zweizig Location: Hera Hub DC, 5028 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite #100

July 22 - July 26-- Creative Writing Level II--Poetry Writing  (Sr. Level: Rising 10-12 Graders) 9 a.m.-12:30 a.m.  Enrollment Cap: 8 Students Instructor: Suzanne Zweizig Location: Hera Hub DC, 5028 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite #100

July 29 - 31-- College Essay Summer Bootcamp 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Enrollment Cap: 12 Students Instructor: Suzanne Zweizig Location: Virtual

August 12 - 16-- Fundamentals of Academic Writing Summer Bootcamp  (Jr. Level: Rising 7-9 Graders) 9:00 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. Enrollment Cap: 8 Students Instructor: Suzanne Zweizig Location: Hera Hub DC, 5028 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite #100

August 12 - 16-- Fundamentals of Academic Writing Summer Bootcamp  (Sr. Level: Rising 10-12 Graders) 1-4 p.m. Enrollment Cap: 8 Students Instructor: Suzanne Zweizig Location: Virtual

August 19 - 22- College Essay Summer Bootcamp  1 p.m.-3 p.m. Enrollment Cap: 12 Students Instructor: Suzanne Zweizig Location: Virtual

Suzanne is an incredibly gifted writing teacher. When I was younger, I struggled a lot with synthesizing my thoughts into a coherent form of writing. Suzanne exhibited tremendous patience. She worked with me for hours and tutored me consistently throughout high school as I transformed as a writer. Suzanne helped me discover my creativity and confidence, and most importantly, she taught me how to love writing. My teachers even noticed a change in my writing and confidence, and I went on to major in a writing-intensive area of studies in my undergrad. Thank you so much, Suzanne

“It was fun! There were many writing exercises that I had never explored before. My instructor was very helpful and encouraging. We all took turns sharing our work, and everyone was kind. It made me feel very secure.”

"Suzanne convinced my kid that her creativity is worth sharing. I feel great knowing those foundational skills and confidence will benefit my daughter well into college and beyond.”  

“Camp was very fun because I felt like, as much as the teacher was teaching us, we were all working together and sharing thoughts and feedback as a group.” 

“Suzanne heavily influenced both of our children to open up and write like nobody had ever done before!  She has a gift!!”

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Where Can I Take Writing Classes in Washington, DC?

Learn about writing classes in Washington, DC. See degree and specialization options, program requirements, and course offerings so that you can make an informed decision about your education.

Are you an aspiring writer in Washington, DC? You can hone your skills by getting a bachelor's or master's degree at a university in the area.

What You Need to Know

Writing classes are typically offered as part of a bachelor's or master's degree program offered by universities. Writing degree programs may include further specializations, such as creative writing, literature or teacher education. Some writing courses may also be offered to non-degree students at some universities. Bachelor's degree programs generally take four years to complete full time and master's degree programs take two years. Read on to learn more about writing programs offered in the Washington, DC area and see if any will fit your needs.

Undergraduate Writing Classes in Washington, DC

American university.

American University is a private, Methodist-affiliated school located in the nation's capital. Through the College of Arts & Sciences, you can earn a Bachelor of Arts in Literature with an option to minor in cinema studies, literature or creative writing. The creative writing program requires a total of 24 credit hours to complete and includes classes in fiction, poetry and nonfiction writing. In addition, the school offers a College Writing Program that can help you make the transition from high school to college. Space permitting and depending on the semester, non-degree students can also take classes in college writing, creative writing, composition and poetry.

• Program: Bachelor of Arts in Literature/Minor in Creative Writing
• Specialization Areas: Creative writing
• Program Length: 4 years (full-time) for undergraduate program, 15 weeks per course
• Tuition: $48,459 per year (2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: High school diploma or its equivalent
• Requirements: Minimum 16 college preparatory courses, including 4 credits in English, 3 credits in mathematics, 2 credits in laboratory science, 2 credits in foreign language and 2 credits in social sciences, letters of recommendation, SAT or ACT test scores
• School Type: Private (not-for-profit), undergraduate and graduate; around 14,311 students (8,287 undergraduates)

Georgetown University

The oldest Catholic and Jesuit postsecondary school in the United States, the main campus of Georgetown University is located in a historic neighborhood in Washington, DC. The college's English department offers three Bachelor of Arts degrees: American studies, comparative literature and English. Students also have the option to minor in English. Coursework for the English major begins in the sophomore year and includes core classes and electives in creative, fiction and poetry writing; American, British and world literature and cultural studies. Non-degree students may be able to take a course or two in English or writing through Georgetown University's Special Student Program.

• Program: Bachelor of Arts
• Specialization Areas: English, comparative literature, American studies
• Requirements: SAT or ACT test scores, academic letter of recommendation
• Tuition: $54,104 per year (2018-2019)
• School Type: 4-year, private; about 19,204 students (7,459 undergraduates)

The George Washington University

The George Washington University is an international research institution, and its Foggy Bottom campus is located just a short walk from the White House and the U.S. Capitol Building. Through the English department at the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences, you can pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English with either a major or a minor in creative writing. The major requires 39 credits of coursework, including 15 credits in creative writing and a fiction or poetry manuscript completed under the supervision of a creative writing staff member. If you are not ready to apply to a formal program, the university will allow you take creative, fiction and poetry writing classes as a non-degree student.

• Program: Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing
• Specialization Areas: Major or minor in creative writing
• Tuition: $55,230 per year (2018-2019)
• Requirements: SAT or ACT test scores, two letters of recommendation, including one from a teacher and one from a counselor
• School Type: 4-year, private; about 28,172 students (12,546 undergraduates)

University of the District of Columbia

The University of the District of Columbia is an urban land-grant university and the only fully accredited public postsecondary school in the nation's capital. Included in the 45-credit-hour required core for the Bachelor of Arts degree are a number of language and literature classes that are designed to help you acquire and improve your analytical, research and writing skills. In addition to an introductory class in critical writing, the core curriculum offers classes in English language structure and history, advanced grammar and topics in American, African-American and British literature. If you are interested in teaching as well as writing, the school offers a teacher education program option.

• Program: Bachelor of English
• Specialization Areas: Teacher education
• Tuition: $5,888 per year for DC residents, $12,416 per year for non-residents (2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: High school diploma or GED, completion of a college preparatory program
• Requirements: SAT, ACT or ACCUPLACER test scores
• School Type: Public, undergraduate and graduate; about 4,244 students (3,867 undergraduate)

Graduate Writing Classes in Washington, DC

The Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing, offered through American University's literature department, is a 48-credit-hour program that includes writing workshops, literature courses and a thesis. In a community-based learning environment, you will have the opportunity to pursue one or several literary genres, read and comment on the work of your peers and develop your own writing technique and style. Through the school's Visiting Writers Series, you might also get the chance to study and interact with writers and editors in small-group workshops, post-reading parties and dinners. Other creative writing activities that might be of interest include Folio, a student-run, national literary journal, fellowships and teaching internships.

• Program: Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
• Program Length: 15 weeks per course, 2 years of full-time study
• Tuition: $31,446 per year (2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree (literature preferred)
• Requirements: Writing samples, 2 letters of recommendation
• School Type: Private (not-for-profit), undergraduate and graduate; around 14,311 students (6,024 graduate students)

The English department at Georgetown University is one of a limited number of nationally ranked universities to offer a stand-alone graduate degree in English. While designed primarily for students who are thinking of pursuing a Ph.D. or who are interested in teaching English at the postsecondary level, the master's degree program in English is a flexible, literature-based program that can also be helpful if you are planning a career in writing, editing or another related field that requires advanced communication, research and analytical skills. A total of 30 credits are needed to complete the degree, and the program culminates in either a curricular option with a capstone course or a research thesis.

• Program: Master of Arts in English
• Specialization Areas: Cultural, literature and media studies; teaching
• Program Length: Approximately 2 or more years of full-time study, 15 weeks per course
• Tuition: $50,012 per year (2018-2019)
• Prerequisites: Bachelor's degree
• Requirements: GRE scores, statement of purpose, three letters of recommendation, writing sample
• School Type: Private (not-for-profit), undergraduate and graduate; around 19,204 students (about 11,745 graduate students)

In summary, you can take writing classes while getting a four-year bachelor's degree from American, Georgetown and George Washington Univresities, or UDC; American University also offers a master's degree in Creative Writing, and Georgetown offers a master's in English.

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Creative Writing Courses

Lit-700 advanced fiction workshop (3).

Course Level: Graduate

A graduate level writing workshop in which students produce and critique original fiction. Course may include additional assigned reading and craft exercises, depending upon instructor. Usually offered every term. May be taken pass/fail only, and may be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: admission to MFA in Creative Writing program or permission of instructor.

LIT-701 Advanced Poetry Workshop (3)

A seminar run according to the workshop model in which students submit work weekly to be critiqued by professor and their peers. The workshop uses class visits, texts by contemporary poets and the analysis of poetic forms. An intensive approach to the techniques of writing verse, the graduate workshop represents the highest level of mastery of the writing of poetry. Usually offered every term. May be taken pass/fail only and may be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: admission to MFA in Creative Writing program or permission of instructor.

LIT-704 Advanced Creative Nonfiction Workshop (3)

Topics vary by section, may be repeated for credit with different topic. Intensive critical workshop in writing memoirs and personal essays, emphasizing the development of the first-person voice. Usually offered every semester. Prerequisite: admission to MFA in Creative Writing program or permission of instructor. May be taken pass/fail only and may be repeated for credit.

LIT-705 Seminar on Translation (3)

This required course introduces students to the international community of writers by providing approaches to and models for the translation of literary works as well as experience in translating. It is expected that students will learn about the use of their own attitudes toward the English language in the process. Fluency in another language is helpful but not required; all students will be required to work with a co-translator who is a native speaker of the language in which they are working. Prerequisite: admission to MFA in Creative Writing program or permission of instructor.

LIT-710 The Art of Literary Journalism (3)

A required workshop in which the craft of literary nonfiction is studied and practiced. Clear expository writing is the aim, tied to established criteria for sound critical approaches in journalism. Students will be offered practical instruction in finding and assessing publishing venues, writing story proposals, and crafting both long and short form articles, with the eventual goal of publication. Usually offered every spring. Prerequisite: Enrollment in the MFA Program in Creative Writing or permission of instructor.  

Lit-730 Teaching Composition (3)

This Seminar offers students an introduction to the field of composition studies as well as the theory and practices of teaching academic writing. Students read research and theory which examine fundamental questions about the personal, social, and cultural dimensions of literacy. We explore the nature of written discourse, the composing process, and learning ; we discuss issues and examine current approaches in teaching for contemporary composition classrooms. Usually offered every fall. Through extensive reading, writing, and discussion, students can expect to

• Better understand the way individuals construct—and are constructed by—writing.
• Study the dynamics of written discourse, of learning, and of teaching.
• Become familiar with major theories of composing and approaches to teaching composition.

(Recommended for Fall of 2nd year)

Internships

Teaching internships (3 hours credit, p/f).

Both options allow students to acquire training and experience in

• responding to and evaluating student writing
• creating writing assignments
• working with student writers

Lit-690 College Writing Classroom (3)

Course Level: Graduate Working closely with a faculty mentor for the semester, observing and participating in one section of a College Writing Seminar taught by a mentor teacher. Interns attend all class meetings of the course and do supervised teaching, grading, and meeting with students. Students develop skills in classroom management, course planning and teaching, evaluation and grading. Usually offered every spring. LIT 730 isprerequisite, and internship is competitive, based on performance in LIT 730 , availability of mentors, and an application process.

Lit-691 Writing Center Internship (3)

Receiving training and experience in one-on-one teaching through work in the Writing Center, working with a wide variety of writing assignments and writers, including international students. Interns also explore an issue in literacy education through research and may tailor their semester to a focus on working with non-native speakers of English or planning and facilitating writing workshops in a classroom setting. Students develop their skills in talking about writing with students, conducting productive writing conferences, and working with a wide variety of student needs and learning styles.

Other Internships (3)

Other internship options allow students to acquire training and experience in writing-oriented professional environments, including:

• The Writer's Center in Bethesda,
• The Folger Shakespeare Library,
• The Library of Congress,
• Writers-in-the-Schools programs,
• The National Endowment for the Arts,
• WAMU 88.5 fm/American University radio
• National Public Radio,
• affiliations with in-house and trade publishers.
• AU Registrar for current class offerings and times