Writers always want to know what they can do to help facilitate publicity efforts for their books, especially during that unbearable wait between the last pen stroke and publication date. First, it’s important to get into the mindset of a…
Sometimes I feel the need to explain why so many of the readings I select for my classes are tinged with sadness. It’s what I’m drawn to as a reader, I say. I like stuff that is dark. As a…
Elizabeth Bishop (1911-1979) was the consummate American poet of travel, writing and translating worldwide, and living for fifteen years in Brazil. Her “traveler takes a notebook, writes” about the mysteries of maps, the wonders of cultures and landscapes. In my…
It is often said that reading makes us better, kinder people. Many articles expound on how the act of reading benefits the mind and body by decreasing stress levels, teaching us about other people and cultures, and introducing us to…
Hinduism is an entire universe of gods, concepts, traditions, and philosophies. Just as you can practice any religion concurrently with being a Hindu, you don’t have to be a true believer to take advantage of Hinduism in your writing practice. Many of…
In the United States, women buy statistically more books than men—but publish fewer books, win fewer literary prizes, and get reviewed with far less regularity. Similarly, women account for only 10% of op-ed pieces that are published nationally. Why is…
Interested in dipping your (electronic) pen into the screenwriting well? Not sure where to start, who to study, how to think about the form? In my class Screenwriting for Fiction Writers we’ll take up these matters and more, looking at…
A sanctuary away from home and the distractions of daily life with time to work on your craft: every writer’s dream. If a writer’s residency is in your plans this year, we’ve rounded up resources and words of advice from…
A new year means new writing resolutions—and the start of a new quarter of classes here at Hugo House in which to start checking them off. Whether you’re hoping to sharpen your poetry or storytelling skills, try a new genre,…
Plan your 2018 reading with these picks from the writers and readers of Hugo House. These books are what kept them up late, turning pages, all year long. Which will you start with? Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay…
The passages that follow are excerpts from a ten-minute in-class free write from the prompt Why do you write? Afterwards, we read aloud in a round and the energy in the room was palpable. I feel so grateful each time…
In addition to yearlong courses, we’re now excited to offer a track of classes in Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction. These classes are designed to help you feel confident when progressing through your writing, equipping you with the appropriate tools,…
Our voice as poets is a mix of who we are, what we think and feel, and a summation of everything we’ve read in our lives. Voice is the result of both experience and influence. In her book Black Lightning:…
At this turbulent time in our country and globally, many poets feel summoned to write about events that pose grave threats to justice and endanger our common humanity. We turn to poetry in order to find a language that provides…
Aimee Bender is a fan of both magical realism and surrealism, meaning that she likes to put magical characters into mundane and even boring situations. The key to making this move work for readers is languaging the “quotidian,” or every…