💅 Babe, wake up–new classes just dropped! Member registration opens Dec 2 at 10:30 AM PT. General opens Dec 9 at 10:30 AM PT. 🌟

Audio Narratives: Memoir & More

with Jenny Asarnow

Genres: Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Writing for Performance

In Person

Introductory, Intermediate

9 Sessions

Start Date: January 21, 2026
End Date: March 18, 2026
Day of Week: Wednesday
Time: 5:00pm - 7:00pm PT
Capacity: 8 seats
General Price: $625.00

This class meets IN PERSON at Hugo House in Capitol Hill. 

Audio stories feel intimate by nature—a voice in your ear, a moment unfolding in real time, punctuated by breath and silence—creating connection in a way few other mediums can. Whether you love public radio or the closeness of personal audio essays, this class will teach you how to craft a written nonfiction story meant for attentive listening. 

Over nine weeks, we'll cover key fundamentals: story structure, writing for the ear, fact-checking, vocal performance, and creative techniques for bringing narrative to life without relying on complex production or heavy editing. We’ll study master examples of writing across the audio landscape, from essay to memoir to experimental forms, to learn what makes these pieces so effective. 

Then you'll get hands-on, putting what we’ve learned into practice. You’ll workshop your draft with peers, receive supportive feedback, and record your scripts using simple tools available to anyone. Over the course of the nine weeks, you’ll create two projects designed to build your skills step-by-step:   

  • A one-minute practice piece on a prompt provided by the instructor 
  • A three-minute scripted audio story (300–450 words) in the style of your choice—memoir, essay, or experimental 

This class also comes with a one-on-one consultation with your instructor to discuss current projects and challenges.  

Expect to leave with a polished audio piece, a deeper understanding of how narrative works when spoken aloud, and a toolkit you can use to continue podcasting, storytelling, or exploring this creative medium on your own. No prior experience required. Just bring your curiosity, experimental spirit, and your willingness to lend an ear.  

This class is not eligible for a member discount. Learn more here »

This class focuses on: 

  • Generative Writing: Focuses on producing new writing through prompts and exercises. 
  • Craft & Technique: Focuses on the building blocks of strong writing  
  • Workshop: Students submit work and receive feedback from the instructor and/or classmates. 

What to expect:  

  • Goal-Setting & Accountability: Includes tools or practices to help students stay motivated. 
  • Project-Based: Students will work toward completing a specific project (e.g., a story, poem, or essay). 
  • Reading & Analysis: Published works will be closely read as part of the learning process. 
  • Lecture: Instructor-led teaching 
  • Class Discussion: Facilitated class conversation 
  • Prompts & Exercises: Class features guided writing activities. 
  • In-Class Writing Time: Class will include dedicated time to write. 
  • In-Class Sharing: Students are invited to share their writing aloud or in small groups during class. 
  • Instructor Feedback: Students receive direct feedback from the instructor. 
  • Peer Feedback: Students share and critique each other’s work. 
  • 1-2 hours of reading and/or writing outside of class 

Registration Dates: 

  • December 2: Member registration opens at 10:30 am PT     
  • December 9: General registration opens at 10:30 am PT   
  • December 16: Scholarships open 
  • December 22: Last day of Early Bird discount 
Jenny Asarnow

Jenny Asarnow

they/them

J Asarnow is an award-winning story editor, podcast producer, and educator whose work spans journalism, documentary, and audio art. They created and led KUOW’s RadioActive Youth Media, and their site-specific works include The Corner: 23rd and Union and Saltwater Soundwalk.

Each class description includes a breakdown of what you can expect in terms of in-class activity, feedback, and homework (if any). 

Generative means you’ll be generating new writing, either in class or at home between classes.

Workshop means you’ll be sharing work to be read and critiqued by your instructor and classmates and that you will also be critiquing the work of your peers. 

Reading means you’ll be doing close reading of a work with an eye toward craft. 

Craft discussion means you’ll be looking at the tools writers use to do that thing they do so well and then trying it out yourself.

Class levels are designed for various stages of the writing journey. Simply self-select the level that sounds best for where you’re at. 

Introductory: This is your first creative writing workshop, first writing class since high school, or first foray into a new genre or form. You’re looking to try something new, kickstart your writing, and/or establish yourself in the fundamentals.

Intermediate: You have a strong understanding of writing fundamentals and are eager to deep dive into craft. You’re honing your writerly identity and voice through independent projects. In workshop, you look for constructive feedback and are ready to do writing and reading outside of class.

Advanced: You’ve written a significant body of work and have taken it through several stages of revision. You’re getting ready to publish or are in the early stage of publishing, and you’re interested in refining the skills that will take you to the next level in the literary industry.

All Levels: You are any of the above and are looking to play with new possibilities.

You’ll get your class information, including Zoom link if applicable, three days before the first day of class.

If you register for a class within this three-day window and do not receive this information, please contact us at welcome@hugohouse.org  

Write With Hugo House is our free monthly write-in program that takes place online via Zoom.  

We also have payment plans available for most of our classes. These payment plans are available to all students. Additionally, we offer partial scholarships (covering up to 40% of class tuition) for students who meet our income guidelines.  

Lastly, we announce flash sales, early bird periods, and special deals through our e-newsletter; sign up at the bottom of this page. 

 

At this time, we offer payment plans on classes 4 sessions and up. To register for a payment plan, select “Pay in installments” on the class details page, select your preferred option, and proceed to add to cart usual.  

Our payment plan policy: 
  • We charge a 5% nonrefundable administrative fee for all payment plans. This fee is based on total class cost.
  • We are unable to hold seats for prospective payment plan students. Students will be enrolled once their first installment has been paid. 
  • If you need to cancel, Hugo House will issue refunds according to its cancellation and transfer policies. Your 5% nonrefundable admin fee will not be refunded. 
  • If you withdraw from a class after it begins, you will not receive a refund and are still responsible for paying the full course tuition.

Asynchronous classes are perfect for students that need flexibility!

During an asynchronous class, instructors release new lessons once per week. Students then have one week to complete that lesson and any accompanying coursework. You’ll learn as much as you would in a traditional class but with the flexibility to work at the best times for your schedule!

While there are no live sessions, asynchronous classes are still a lively and rigorous experience. Async classes are not static lessons but an adaptable and energetic community space. Be ready to work in a collaborative environment, giving and receiving feedback on your writing, participating in discussions, and growing your writing practice in a way that works best for you.

Asynchronous classes take place through the website Wet Ink. Students receive an invitation to the class and to set up a Wet Ink account on the start date of the class. Each week of the class, a new lesson will be available through the Wet Ink portal. Classes close two weeks after the end date, and students receive an email containing their content from the class when it closes.

Hugo House will only process refund requests that are submitted 5 days or more before the class start date. To request a refund, log in to your account, go to “My Account,” select the “Orders” tab on the left-hand side, click the appropriate order, and request a refund for your specific class. Administrative fees apply. Please see our full refund policy here.

To request a refund for class credit, please note such in the message section of your refund request.

In general, we do not record classes. However, an exception can be made with instructor approval if a student has specific access needs.

We encourage students to only sign up for classes that fit with their schedule.   

We do not tolerate racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, transphobic or any other oppressive behaviors, regardless of who commits them. Please check out our full community guidelines by clicking here. If an instance of community guidelines are violated and not resolved within the classroom, students may let us know by filling out the student incident report.

If Hugo House needs to cancel a class for any reason, you’ll receive a full refund.

You can apply for a scholarship by clicking the red “Request a Scholarship” text on class pages. The scholarship request text is located at the top of each class page, underneath the “add to cart” button.

Scholarship application dates can be found in our Academic Calendar. 

Due to the limited number of scholarships, please only request up to two scholarships for two different classes per quarter if you truly meet the financial need requirements.

Hugo House members get to register early for classes – a full week before they open to the general public!, receive a 10% discount on events and classes, and more. See the full list of membership benefits here!

Donations of all sizes allow us to provide access to quality writing classes, events, and experiences for all. Please consider making a donation to Hugo House today. 

If you’re interested in contributing your skills, Hugo House accepts volunteer applications for a variety of roles, including event support, administrative tasks, and more. Learn more on our Volunteer page. 

Finally, becoming a member is an excellent way to support Hugo House and our mission. 

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