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
Poetry, The Writing Life

Writing(,) Noticing

Instructor: Molly Schaeffer. This class will examine elements of attention, drawing from various media—writing, film, music, and the natural world—and investigate distraction, associative thinking and more with generative exercises, freewriting, and discussion.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 2, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
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
Poetry, The Writing Life

Turn Your Poems into a Cohesive Chapbook

Instructor: Natasha Moni. This class offers resources on how to assemble and submit your chapbook, using examples from award-winning and accomplished chapbooks; we will discuss ordering, titles, theme, voice, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Advanced
Length: 4 sessions
Start: October 7, 2023 , 10:00am 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, 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
Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Essay

On Ghosts, Ghosting, & Haunts

Instructor: Gabriela Denise Frank. This class will explore a range of structures capable of hosting ghosts, from epistolary to erasure, the haunted dialogues of contrapuntals, and the glorious twisting and (re)turning form of obsession: the sestina.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 11, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Reading, Memoir, Essay

Belonging: The Landscape Of Home

Instructor: Christine Hemp. For writers of all genres, this class will explore the concepts of home and belonging, with a focus on scene and power of reflection.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 2 sessions
Start: October 14, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Short Story

Establishing a Writing Practice

Instructor: Rachel Sobel. This course will work to establish a writing practice for each student's individual writing process, with topics like project management, how to get into the habit of writing regularly, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Length: 6 sessions
Start: October 19, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: In Person
The Writing Life, Writing for Performance

The Writer vs. The Performer

Instructor: Greta Kline & Molly Schaeffer. Co-taught by a poet/visual artist and a professional singer-songwriter, this generative class will explore the relationship between writing and performance, examining cross-genre work, improvisation, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 4 sessions
Start: October 19, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Memoir, Novel

Demystifying Scrivener

Instructor: April Dávila. This live, interactive demonstration will cover the basics through advanced features of the writing software, Scrivener.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 1 session
Start: October 28, 2023 , 1:10pm PT
Format: Online
The Writing Life

Query Letter Bootcamp

Instructor: Lindsay Newton. Appropriate for any writer with a complete manuscript or proposal, this course will examine successful letters and in-house acquisitions materials; students will walk away with a ready-to-send query letter.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Advanced
Length: 3 sessions
Start: October 30, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life, Memoir, Young Adult/Children's Lit, Novel, Short Story, Essay

Mindful Writers Workshop

Instructor: Rachel Werner. Overcome your writing rut with meditative journaling, goal mapping exercises, writing prompts and engaging discussions, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 1 session
Start: November 4, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, The Writing Life, Short Story

Using Strange Words to Inspire Unusual Writing

Instructor: Kimberly Lee. With a brief collage activity as the basis for imaginative writing, this workshop will explore a wide variety of lost, unusual, and untranslatable words, transforming them into playful inspiration for extraordinary writing.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Introductory
Length: 1 session
Start: November 4, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay

Research Tools for Historical Fiction & Nonfiction Writers

Instructor: Holly Day. Learn how to compile a bibliography from sources including online and physical collections of newspaper archives, library special collections, photo banks, and more, with info on tracing source material and tips for staying organized.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 1 session
Start: November 5, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, The Writing Life, Short Story, Writing for Performance

Writing Short Humor & Telling Big Jokes

Instructor: Mayur Chauhan. This generative class includes writing exercises, telling jokes in a highly supportive environment, adapting jokes into short humor pieces for humor publications, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 4 sessions
Start: November 7, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life, Short Story, Essay

Using Constraints to Stretch Your Creativity

Instructor: Jennifer (JP) Perrine. With in class writing and discussion, this class will demonstrate how drawing on constraints such as lipograms, acrostics, erasures, and collage, can create movement and a bounty of possibilities.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Introductory
Length: 5 sessions
Start: November 13, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Essay

The Art of the Interview

Instructor: Joanna Acevedo. In this course, learn how to solicit, research, and prepare for interviews, to gather vital information for your own stories, essays, journalistic pieces, and more.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 1 session
Start: November 18, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life

You’ve Been Rejected, Now What?

Instructor: Natasha Moni. Learn from a former editor and author how to examine and respond to rejections and strategize for publication success.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Intermediate
Length: 1 session
Start: December 2, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life, Writing for Performance

Expressive Writing for Creativity, Serenity, & Joy

Instructor: Kimberly Lee. In this workshop, we'll engage with structured journaling techniques to clarify and organize thoughts while inspiring ideas for writing projects and managing stress.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Introductory
Length: 1 session
Start: December 9, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay, Writing for Performance

Writer’s Welcome Kit

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.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length:
Start: September 30, 2024 , 12:00am PT
Format: Online Asynchronous
Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Essay

Freelance Going Pro

Through guided and practical exercises, this course will give you the confidence to turn your art into a long-term, successful business.

Course Status: Seats left
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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 12 sessions
Start: September 30, 2024 , 12:00am PT
Format: Online Asynchronous