Class Catalog

There’s a class for everyone.

Long-time writer or just getting started? Writing an epic poem or a short story? Whoever you are and wherever your passions lie—if you want to write, there’s a Hugo House class for you. Explore our catalog and find yours.

When we say we want our classes to be for everyone, we mean it.

Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay

Working Through Writer’s Block

Instructor: Gracie Bialecki. By working with a combination of prompts, group activities, and readings, we will spark our creativity while exploring methods of writing when we feel stuck. 

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 2 sessions
Start: September 25, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Novel, Short Story

The Story That Got Away

Instructor: Carolyn Abram. In this revision-focused course, we'll work on fleshing out and finalizing stories that had previously fizzled out.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 6 sessions
Start: September 27, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction

Fiction I

Instructor: Alma Garćia. Explore the basic craft elements of fiction writing with in-class writing, discussions, readings, and workshopping in a supportive environment.

Course Status: Full
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Level: Introductory
Length: 6 sessions
Start: September 28, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: In Person
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay

A Year with the Moon: Creation, Workshop, Chapbook

Instructor: Sierra Nelson. Drawing inspiration from scientific, esoteric, and mythological moons, this course takes students through generating, workshopping, and compiling moon-themed chapbooks.

Course Status: Full
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 30 sessions
Start: October 2, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction

Elements of the Short Form: Intro to Flash

Instructor: Becca Yenser. This generative class explores the flash as a form, specifically examining five elements of flash, with discussion, peer review, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Introductory
Length: 5 sessions
Start: October 2, 2023 , 12:00am PT
Format: Online Asynchronous
Fiction, Reading, Novel

Reading Proust Slowly

Instructor: Liza Birnbaum. This class will spend eight weeks with the first volume of Marcel Proust's novel In Search of Lost Time, close-reading for craft, with discussions and weekly prompts.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 8 sessions
Start: October 2, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Novel, Short Story

How Stories Get Told: Voice, Narrative, & Psychic Distance

Instructor: Scott Driscoll. Explore narrative distance, voice, and psychic distance with readings from Olive Kitteridge and The Best American Short Stories 2022 and in-class exercises.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 2, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Novel, Short Story

Yearlong in Fiction

Instructor: Peter Mountford. This workshop is designed to support students complete publication-ready work for fiction writers of any genre, with peer review, craft lectures, and more.

Course Status: Full
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 30 sessions
Start: October 3, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: In Person
Fiction, Novel

Novel Immersion

Instructor: Elise Hooper. For writers developing a novel seeking guidance, inspiration, and accountability; this course includes readings, discussion, in-class exercises and assignments focused on plot, voice, world-building and more.

Course Status: Full
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 8 sessions
Start: October 3, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: In Person
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Reading, Memoir, Essay

Queering the Boundaries: Commingling Art & Creation

Instructor: Meredith Arena. This genre-blurring, boundary-pushing workshop focuses on queer art as inspiration for creative writing, with other exercises like drawing, collage, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Introductory
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 3, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: In Person
Fiction, Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay

Keep the Channel Open: A Generative Prose Workshop

Instructor: Liza Birnbaum. This nontraditional, generative workshop open to fiction, nonfiction, and cross-genre writers will use weekly writing assignments, playfulness, and rigorous reflection to building a friendly, mutually accountable community.

Course Status: Full
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 10 sessions
Start: October 3, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: In Person
Fiction, Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Reading, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay

Words & Pictures: An Intro to Comics

Instructor: Gina Siciliano. Using Scott McCloud's Understanding Comics as a foundation, this class is an introduction to graphic novel storytelling. 

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Introductory
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 3, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: In Person
Fiction

Yearlong in Speculative Fiction

Instructor: Ruth Joffre. Students will work toward completing a speculative fiction project, with craft lectures, writing and revision exercises, peer revision, and readings of contemporary speculative fiction.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 30 sessions
Start: October 4, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Young Adult/Children's Lit

Yearlong in Young Adult & Middle Grade Fiction

Instructor: Karen Finneyfrock. With both large and small group workshopping, students will develop and polish a manuscript in any genre of fiction intended primarily for a younger audience.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 30 sessions
Start: October 4, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction

Book Lab

Instructor: Tara Conklin. Book Lab is a year-long intensive class for writers seeking to revise and finalize a book-length manuscript, with workshops, visits from publishing professionals, and one-on-one feedback sessions, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Advanced, Intermediate
Length: 10 sessions
Start: October 5, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: In Person
Fiction, Nonfiction, Short Story, Essay

10-Week Prose Workshop

Instructor: Beth Slattery. This generative class gives students the opportunity to deep-dive into the revision of their writing and develop thoughtful, supportive, critical responses when looking at others' work. 

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 10 sessions
Start: October 5, 2023 , 1:10pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Young Adult/Children's Lit, Novel, Short Story

Writing for Kids: Polish That Prose

Instructor: Tina Tocco. This class is geared towards writing for ages 8–12 and offers opportunity for writers to workshop, analyze published work, delve into the revision process, and participate in in-class writing.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 5, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction

World-Building: Creating & Populating Worlds on the Page

Instructor: Evan Ramzipoor. For writers working in any genre, this generative class will teach students to create and populate worlds on the page, with group exercises, discussions, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 5, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life

Magazines as Muse: Models & Markets for Your Work

Instructor: Carolyne Wright. We'll read poems, nonfiction, and short fiction published in recent issues of well-respected online and print literary magazines and generate prompts from this work as workshop exercises.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Introductory, Intermediate
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 7, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Short Story, Essay

Yearlong in Storytelling

Instructor: Sonora Jha. This craft-focused class is designed to help writers improve craft elements such as voice, characters, form, and more as they work within a cohort to determine the genre and format of their book-length material.

Course Status: Full
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 30 sessions
Start: October 9, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life

Lit Witches: Crafting Subversive Narratives

Instructors: Allison Ellis, Amy Bowers. This generative class will delve deep into the lore and canon of witches, examining themes such as feminism, domesticity, power, and social change.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 4 sessions
Start: October 9, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Novel

6-Week Novel Mentorship

Instructor: Anna Dorn. This workshop will help students structure, organize, and develop their novel, with assignments such as developing a three-act outline, producing the first and last pages, writing a query letter, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 9, 2023 , 12:00am PT
Format: Online Asynchronous
Fiction, Nonfiction, Memoir, Novel

Book Lab

Instructor: Sonora Jha. Book Lab is a yearlong intensive class for writers seeking to revise, restructure, rethink, and finalize a book-length manuscript.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Length: 10 sessions
Start: October 10, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Reading, Novel, Short Story

The Doors Came as a Release: A Magical Realism Intensive

Instructor: Stephanie Hammer. This class explores the way magical realism—in short and longer forms—can open the emotional doors of laughter, fear, and perhaps even wonder, through readings, prompts, and homework assignments.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 8 sessions
Start: October 12, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online