News-Style Satire
with Jeff Bender
Genres: Fiction, Nonfiction, Writing for Performance
Online
Open to all levels
6 Sessions
BREAKING NEWS: Search For Self Called Off After 38 Years
From fake op-eds to breaking news parodies, satire has always been a tool for making sense of chaosβand laughing at it along the way. In this six-week generative class, youβll learn how to craft punchy headlines, develop sharp satirical premises, and stretch them into fully-formed articles that surprise, delight, and hit just a little too close to home.
Weβll read and analyze contemporary satire from The Onion, Reductress, The Hard Times, and othersβdigging into how these pieces are structured, how jokes escalate, and what separates a good headline from one thatΒ kills. You’ll write a ton of your own headlines, draft short articles, and explore the submission process for satire publications.
Perfect for writers of all backgrounds, whether youβre looking to sharpen your comedic voice, break out of a creative rut, or finally put your hot takes to good use. No prior writing (or comedy) experience required. Just bring your willingness to explore your unhinged observations and poke fun at your existential dread.
This class focuses on:
- Generative Writing: Focuses on producing new writing through prompts and exercises.
- Craft & Technique: Focuses on improving writing skills, exploring elements like plot, character, or dialogue.
- 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.
- Publishing: Covers submission strategies, query letters, or publishing tips.
- In-Class Sharing: Students are invited to share their writing aloud or in small groups during class.
Students say…
βJeff was both constructive and supportive! I looked forward to this class every single week.β
βJeff is a great instructor. He has the right experience for the subject, brought in helpful guests, pushed us to achieve two projects, and made everyone feel valued.β
βJeff provided a wealth of resources, discussions, workshops, breakout rooms, craft, bringing in a guest author, writing prompts and space to write, readings, and more. SO GOOD. I came away with so so much and am very grateful.β
Registration Dates:
- August 12: Member registration opens at 10:30 am PTΒ Β Β
- August 19: General registration opens at 10:30 am PTΒ
- August 26: Scholarships open
- August 31: Last day of Early Bird discount
Jeff Bender
Jeff Bender is a fiction and comedy writer whose work has appeared in McSweeney's, The Hard Times, Electric Literature, Sports Riot, Fence, The Iowa Review, and a lot of places. In 2023 he co-wrote McSweeney's 8th most-read article.
Describe your teaching style.
I have a plan but try to listen to the group as much as possible and let the personality of the class influence what we do.
FAQ
Complete FAQEach class description includes a breakdown of what you can expect in terms of in-class activity, feedback, and homework (if any).Β
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.Β
Reading means you’ll be doing close reading of a work with an eye toward craft.Β
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.Β
Introductory: This is your first creative writing workshop, first writing class since high school, or first foray into a new genre or form. Youβre 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. Youβre 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: Youβve written a significant body of work and have taken it through several stages of revision. Youβre getting ready to publish or are in the early stage of publishing, and youβre 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.
Write With Hugo House is our free monthly write-in program, operated in partnership with the Seattle Public Library. Two take place onsite at SPL locations, one takes place online.Β
Sliding-scale classes are offered every quarter. Find them in our Class Catalog.
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 8 sessions and up. Email education@hugohouse.org with the name of the class you’re interested in to set up a payment plan. Please note that you can only have 2 active payment plans per quarter.
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We charge a 5% nonrefundable administrative fee for all payment plans.Β
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Extended payment plans up to 8 monthly installments and 16 semi-monthly installments are available upon request.
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We are unable to hold seats for prospective payment plan students. Students will be enrolled once their first installment has been paid.Β
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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.Β
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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. Youβll 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 websiteΒ 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 business 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 policyΒ here.
In general, we do not record classes. However, an exception if a student has specific access needs.
We encourage students to only sign up for classes that fit with their schedule.Β Β
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 clickingΒ 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 βRequest a Scholarshipβ text on class pages. The scholarship request text is located at the top of each class page, underneath the βadd to cartβ button.
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!
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If youβre interested in contributing your skills, Hugo House accepts volunteer applications for a variety of roles, including event support, administrative tasks, and more.Β Learn more on our Volunteer page.
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