Humor gives life to personal writing. Learn to use humor to reveal deep truths, make your reader laugh, crank the ordinary into the absurd, and give your story an unforgettable voice. Life can get pretty weird; thank goodness we can laugh through it all.
generative, craft
1
Session
Saturday, August 15, 2026
5:00-8:00 pm PT
Online
Nonfiction
What do our animals teach us about attention, love, grief, and companionship? We’ll explore writing about the pets who’ve changed us. You leave with new work and tools for writing about these very special relationships.
generative, craft
1
Session
Monday, August 17, 2026
5:00-8:00 pm PT
Online
Fiction
Stories can unfold in many ways, from the classic hero’s journey to spirals, fractals and experimental forms. Learn how story shape creates the emotional experience and experiment with new possibilities for plot, character, and movement in your fiction.
craft
3
Sessions
Wednesdays, August 19 - September 2, 2026
5:00-7:00 pm PT
Online
Fiction
Intermediate
Some stories can only happen in one particular place. We’ll explore how writers create immersive settings that shape character, mood, and plot. And we’ll practice writing our own settings that feel vivid, transporting, and unforgettable.
craft, close reading
1
Session
Saturday, August 22, 2026
1:10-4:10 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Take the guesswork out of submissions! Learn how to research and confidently submit your poems, short stories, essays, and other short work to literary journals and magazines.
professional development, publishing
1
Session
Saturday, August 22, 2026
10:00-12:00 pm PT
Online
Fiction
Introductory
Doomscroll less, make more! In true DIY spirit, we’ll collage, doodle, write poetry and manifestos, and assemble it all into a handmade zine—a mini self-made fanzine—that you can reproduce and share.
generative, creative practice
1
Session
Saturday, August 22, 2026
10:00-4:00 pm PT
In Person
The Writing Life
Every human being lies or deceives in some way and your characters should, too. We’ll examine different types of deception and how they can be powerful drivers for our stories. Great for anyone interested in character motivation.
generative, craft, personal growth
1
Session
Monday, August 24, 2026
5:00-8:00 pm PT
Online
Fiction
Turn overlooked moments into powerful stories. In this generative class, you’ll learn to shape fragments of memory into meaning, resonance, and beautifully crafted narrative. Leave with 20+ fresh starts and renewed momentum for your memoir or personal essays.
generative
1
Session
Saturday, August 29, 2026
10:00-1:00 pm PT
Online
Fiction
Introductory
How you tell a story matters as much as the story itself. In this sentence-level craft class, you’ll learn how rhythm, syntax, tone, and structure can create mood, reveal character, and shape the way your story lands with readers.
craft
1
Session
Saturday, August 29, 2026
10:00-2:00 pm PT
In Person
The Writing Life
Book Lab is a nine-month intensive for writers who’ve completed (or nearly completed) a draft of a novel, memoir, short story collection, or hybrid manuscript. Whether you’re preparing to publish or refining your story into the best version of itself, this program offers mentorship, structure, and community to help you take the next step in your book journey.
cohort, workshop, publishing
16
Sessions
Tuesdays, September 22, 2026 - June 15, 2027
7:10-9:10 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Advanced
Write your own full-length play in this yearlong cohort! Through reading, generative writing, and craft discussions, explore the playwriting community and learn how to write with performance in mind.
generative, craft, workshop
30
Sessions
Tuesdays, September 22, 2026 - June 8, 2027
7:10-9:10 pm PT
In Person
Writing for Performance
A yearlong short story course with equal parts vigor and rigor. You’ll read legendary writers, write wildly, and refine your craft in an in-person community full of support, insight, and spirited discussion. Get ready to get weird, to grow—and to surprise yourself in the process.
generative, craft, workshop
30
Sessions
Tuesdays, September 22, 2026 - June 8, 2027
7:10-9:10 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Book Lab is a nine-month intensive for writers who’ve completed (or nearly completed) a draft of a novel, memoir, short story collection, or hybrid manuscript. Whether you’re preparing to publish or refining your story into the best version of itself, this program offers mentorship, structure, and community to help you take the next step in your book journey.
cohort, workshop, publishing
16
Sessions
Wednesdays, September 23, 2026 - June 16, 2027
5:00-7:00 pm PT
Online
Fiction
Advanced
You’re ready to revise your novel draft, but how do you know what to keep and what to change? Learn the essential craft of revision as you develop the skills to evaluate your manuscript, make intentional changes, and shape it into its strongest form.
craft, close reading, workshop
30
Sessions
Wednesdays, September 23, 2026 - June 16, 2027
7:10-9:10 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Advanced
If perfectionism or overwhelm has kept you from finishing your novel, you’re not alone. In this nine-month workshop, write page by page alongside a supportive cohort—complete with structure, expert guidance, and zero shame—all the way to a completed first draft.
generative, craft, workshop
30
Sessions
Wednesdays, September 23, 2026 - June 2, 2027
5:00-7:00 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Advanced
What do you stand for? We’ll explore the manifesto, a literary form for expressing your deepest convictions. Read and discuss manifestos across genres and movements as you write into your own beliefs, giving form to your fire.
generative, cohort, personal growth
6
Sessions
Thursdays, September 24 - October 29, 2026
5:00-7:00 pm PT
Online
Nonfiction
Intermediate
Spend nine months immersed in your book-length memoir project. Through intensive workshops, craft discussions, and sustained revision, you'll make significant progress on your manuscript alongside a dedicated community of fellow memoirists.
generative, craft, workshop
30
Sessions
Thursdays, September 24, 2026 - June 10, 2027
5:00-7:00 pm PT
In Person
Nonfiction
Advanced
Build a lasting poetry practice in this in-person yearlong cohort. Write weekly, workshop regularly, and craft 20–30 polished pages while deepening your voice and submitting for publication.
generative, craft, close reading
30
Sessions
Thursdays, September 24, 2026 - June 3, 2027
7:10-9:10 pm PT
In Person
Poetry
Love sci-fi, fantasy, horror fiction, or a wild frankenstein of all three and more? In this nine-month workshop, learn the core craft of speculative writing—worldbuilding, stakes, structure—and grow your work in a creative, community-driven cohort.
craft, cohort, workshop
30
Sessions
Thursdays, September 24, 2026 - June 3, 2027
7:10-9:10 pm PT
Online
Fiction
Intermediate
The world is already stranger than fiction. Learn three playful techniques for transforming everyday ideas into speculative stories—and leave with fresh story starts and a new way of seeing what’s already around you.
generative
1
Session
Saturday, September 26, 2026
10:00-1:00 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Advanced
Old stories can birth the most original writing. We’ll read Angela Carter’s lush, gothic masterpiece The Bloody Chamber and explore how fairy tales can become the foundation for daring, subversive, revelatory new work.
generative, close reading, workshop
4
Sessions
Saturdays, September 26 - October 17, 2026
1:10-3:10 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Build on the fundamentals of fiction while discovering and honing what makes your writing distinctly your own. Through close reading, experimentation, and workshop, you’ll deepen your craft, develop your artistic voice and style, and explore where your work sits within today’s literary conversation.
craft, cohort, workshop
30
Sessions
Thursdays, September 26, 2026 - June 10, 2027
5:00-7:00 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Advanced
Take your personal essay from idea to polished piece. You’ll write while studying craft elements and workshop your draft several times in a supportive cohort of peers. Essays started in this class have later appeared in literary magazines and major outlets.
generative, craft, workshop
8
Sessions
Saturdays, September 26 - November 21, 2026
10:00-12:00 pm PT
In Person
Nonfiction
Intermediate
Slashers, hauntings, social commentary—you’ll find it all in this fall’s horror Film Club! Each week, we’ll watch a film, break it down, and talk about what makes it tick. For genre fans, screenwriters, and anyone who likes their movies bloody smart.
close reading, cohort
6
Sessions
Wednesdays, September 30 - November 4, 2026
6:00-9:00 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
© 2022 Hugo House
1
Session 
Online
Nonfiction
Intermediate