👀✨ Member registration is OPEN! 👁️✨  Become a member & get early access to our Fall classes 🎡🔥

Class Catalog
Heroine Course Catalog

Pet Sounds: Writing About the Animals in Our Lives

with Steve Almond

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

View Details

Request a Scholarship

Add to cart

Understanding Story Structure

with Ruth Joffre

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

View Details

Request a Scholarship

Add to cart

Beyond Setting: Writing Literature of Place

with Amy Muia

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

View Details

Request a Scholarship

Add to cart

Secrets & Lies: Writing Deception

with Steve Almond

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

View Details

Request a Scholarship

Add to cart

Book Lab (In Person)

with Tara Conklin

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

Read More

Book Lab (Virtual)

with Sonora Jha

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

Read More

Yearlong in Fiction: Novel Revision

with Carolyn Abram

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

Read More

Yearlong in Fiction: Novel First Draft

with Elise Hooper

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

Read More

Yearlong in Speculative Fiction: Craft Fundamentals

with Nisi Shawl

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

Read More

Yearlong in Fiction II: Advanced Cohort

with Corinne Manning

What makes your fiction unique? We’ll build upon the fundamentals of fiction to refine your artistic voice and deepen your craft. Through close reading, experimentation, and workshop, you’ll explore contemporary literature while discovering where your own writing fits 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

Read More

Fiction I

with Alma Garcia

Got a story you’ve been dying to tell—but not sure where to start? This warm, beginner-friendly class covers the building blocks of fiction: character, plot, conflict, dialogue, and more. Leave with a story beginning and the confidence to keep going.

craft, workshop

6 Sessions
Thursdays, October 1 - November 5, 2026
7:10-9:10 pm PT In Person Fiction Introductory

Read More

Yearlong in Fiction: Craft Fundamentals

with Peter Mountford

This yearlong course offers a deep, steady dive into the craft of fiction. Build your skills, explore core elements like plot and voice, and get feedback on your work—all with the support of a consistent writing cohort.

craft, close reading, workshop

30 Sessions
Tuesdays, October 6, 2026 - June 1, 2027
5:00-7:00 pm PT Online Fiction Intermediate

Read More

Dramatic Essentials for Fiction

with Bella Bravo

You’ve got the characters, setting, and plot. But how do you make your readers care? This craft intensive explores the dramatic principles that create emotional tension, raise the stakes, and keep stories gripping from the first page to the very last sentence.

craft, close reading, workshop

6 Sessions
Wednesdays, October 7 - December 9, 2026
5:00-7:00 pm PT In Person Fiction Advanced

Read More

Fiction I

with Emma Stockman

Learn how stories work—and how to write your own. In this beginner-friendly class, you’ll explore fiction fundamentals through reading, writing, and feedback. No big idea needed, just curiosity and a place to begin.

craft, close reading, workshop

6 Sessions
Tuesdays, October 13 - November 17, 2026
5:00-7:00 pm PT In Person Fiction Introductory

Read More

Suspense Belongs in All Genres

with Wendy Kendall

Master the craft of suspense in any genre. Explore tension, pacing, stakes, structure, and scene design while learning how to keep readers emotionally invested in your story from beginning to end.

generative, craft, workshop

8 Sessions
Thursdays, October 15 - December 10, 2026
5:00-7:00 pm PT In Person Fiction

Read More

Reading Across Cultures: Many Stories: Reading Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

with Michele Simms-Burton

History is never a single story. Through Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s critically acclaimed novel Half of a Yellow Sun, we’ll explore African storytelling traditions in which understanding, meaning, and narrative emerge from the accumulation of many lives and perspectives.

 

close reading

6 Sessions
Tuesdays, October 27 - November 17, 2026
5:00-7:00 pm PT Online Fiction

Read More

Fiction I

with Anca Szilágyi

This warm, beginner-friendly course introduces the building blocks of fiction: character, plot, and setting. You’ll study short stories, write your own, and gain the tools and confidence to keep going—wherever your writing wants to go next.

generative, craft, close reading

6 Sessions
Mondays, November 2 - December 7, 2026
10:00-12:00 pm PT Online Fiction Introductory

Read More

Talking Points: Dialogue That Drives Story & Character

with Evan Ramzipoor

Learn to write natural conversations that advance the plot and give us insight into your characters. We’ll read master works and write a short, dialogue-intensive scene in class.

 

craft, close reading

1 Session
Thursday, November 5, 2026
5:00-8:00 pm PT Online Fiction Advanced

Read More

Fiction II

with Alma Garcia

This intermediate class dives into what makes fiction hit hard—structure, pacing, subtext, and more. Through readings, prompts, and workshopping, you’ll sharpen your craft and walk away with a polished story and clearer creative direction.

craft, close reading, workshop

8 Sessions
Thursdays, January 14 - March 11, 2027
7:10-9:10 pm PT In Person Fiction Intermediate

Read More

Fiction II

with Anca Szilágyi

Take your fiction beyond the basics. In this intermediate class, you’ll write, revise, and read deeply—studying voice, POV, and structure while crafting your own story. You’ll also workshop with peers and leave with sharper skills and fresh pages.

craft, close reading, workshop

8 Sessions
Mondays, January 25 - March 22, 2027
10:00-12:00 pm PT Online Fiction Intermediate

Read More

Fiction III

with Alma Garcia

Ready to go the distance with your writing? Read and analyze stories, focus on a specific writing project, and deepen your relationship to your unique voice in this advanced level class. Leave with a complete, revised story or novel chapter.

craft, close reading, workshop

10 Sessions
Thursdays, April 1 - June 10, 2027
7:10-9:10 pm PT In Person Fiction Advanced

Read More

Fiction III

with Anca Szilágyi

Ready to go deeper? This advanced course focuses on what makes your voice distinctly your own. You’ll revise a full story or chapter, explore structure and tone, and learn to polish work for submission. For writers with a solid foundation in craft fundamentals.

craft, close reading, workshop

10 Sessions
Mondays, April 5 - June 14, 2027
10:00-12:00 pm PT Online Fiction Advanced

Read More

Writer’s Welcome Kit

with Paulette Perhach

This asynchronous course features online workbooks, including ten essential templates in Word and Excel to kickstart your writing life, and resources professional writers use to get published.

November 20, 2029
 Online Asynchronous Fiction

View Details

Add to cart

Newsletter signup