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

Writing for McSweeney’s

Instructor: Jeff Bender. This class will take students through converting pet peeves and bizarre thoughts into short satire pieces like the ones seen in McSweeney’s.

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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 6 sessions
Start: July 10, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Nonfiction

Review Your Memoir Like a Developmental Editor

Instructor: Beth Jusino. This class teaches how a professional developmental editor evaluates memoirs for readability and reach, with discussions around theme and concept, plot arc, relatability and more.

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Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Length: 6 sessions
Start: July 10, 2023 , 12:00am PT
Format: Online Asynchronous
Fiction, Nonfiction

Mastering the Scene

Instructor: Katherine E. Standefer. Through writing exercises and readings, we'll explore how scenes develop characters, seed tension, build deeper themes in a story/essay, and more!

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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 8 sessions
Start: July 10, 2023 , 12:00am PT
Format: Online Asynchronous
Fiction

Creating Suspense

Instructor: Bella Bravo. Unpack craft techniques key to the suspenseful delivery of information, and generate new work while we read from contemporary masters of mystery.

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Level: Intermediate
Length: 4 sessions
Start: July 11, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: In Person
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.

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Level: Advanced
Length: 4 sessions
Start: July 11, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
The Writing Life

TikTok for Writers

Instructor: Theo Nestor. Learn the essentials of creating and sharing TikToks and explore the ways writers are connecting with readers on the app.

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Level: Introductory
Length: 1 session
Start: July 11, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Poetry, Reading

Your Favorite Poet’s Favorite Poet

Instructor: Emily Sernaker. This class will demystify the idea that poetry is for the select few and explore the art form through the lens of legacy and community.

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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 4 sessions
Start: July 12, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Reading

The Subversive Power of Crime and Spy Novels

Instructor: Kate Raphael. Read and discuss crime fiction that challenges genre conventions to expand concepts of justice and embolden resistance.

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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 4 sessions
Start: July 12, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, The Writing Life

Get Invited to Read Your Work at Literary Conferences

Instructor: Lyzette Wanzer. This workshop offers information, guidance, and strategies for writers ready to present their work at a professional writers' conference.

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Level: Intermediate
Length: 4 sessions
Start: July 12, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay, Fiction, Nonfiction

Carry On: A Post-Yearlong Workshop Craft Studio

Instructor: Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum. For writers who have completed a yearlong workshop in prose and are developing manuscripts, with focused discussions on issues of craft and a casual tour through Charles Baxter's Burning Down the House: Essays on Fiction.

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Level: Advanced
Length: 4 sessions
Start: July 12, 2023 , 6:00pm PT
Format: Online
Nonfiction

Creative Nonfiction I

Using generative writing, reading, and an introduction to the workshop model, we will investigate our own personal stories. We examine and explore the true topics of our pieces through points of view, scene, reflection, and form.

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Level: Introductory
Length: 6 sessions
Start: July 12, 2023 , 7:10pm PT
Format: Online
Nonfiction, Poetry, Memoir, Novel, Short Story, Essay, Fiction

Faves & Frenemies: Learning from Books You Love & Hate

Instructor: Rachel Sobel. In this workshop, we'll discuss how to learn from books you love, books you hate, and everything in between, with close attention to the technique on the page.

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Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Length: 4 sessions
Start: July 13, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: In Person
Fiction, Nonfiction

Sentences ARE the Story

Instructor: Mary Lane Potter. Learn to build sentences that grip the reader, evoke tone, deepen mood, reveal character, advance plot, and help a narrative breathe.

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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 1 session
Start: July 15, 2023 , 1:10pm PT
Format: In Person
Reading

To Love the Abyss I Am: Reading Clarice Lispector

Instructor: Andrew Zawacki. Dive into the work of radical midcentury Brazilian writer Clarice Lispector, widely recognized for the volatile strangeness of her writing, which pushes language, genre, sexuality, and the experience of self to their limits.

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Level: Intermediate
Length: 5 sessions
Start: July 15, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction

Tarot for Character Development

Instructor: Kris Waldherr. Learn Tarot-based techniques to develop backstory, character arcs, and more.

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Level: Advanced, Intermediate
Length: 1 session
Start: July 15, 2023 , 1:10pm PT
Format: Online
The Writing Life, Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry

What Happens After You Write? Understanding Your Publishing Choices

Instructor: Beth Jusino. Take an unbiased, unvarnished look at current publishing options and how to approach them, examining the pros and cons of each choice, realistic costs, income potential and more.

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Level: Introductory, Intermediate
Length: 1 session
Start: July 15, 2023 , 1:10pm PT
Format: In Person
Reading, Fiction

2×4: Two Weeks, Four New Speculative Stories

Instructor: Tara Campbell. Suitable for a wide audience, this two-week generative course features readings and prompts for students to create four new speculative fiction stories.

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Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Length: 2 sessions
Start: July 15, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction

The Elegance of Compression

Instructor: Kirsten Sundberg Lunstrum. We'll examine short stories considering elements of craft, specifically how the stories "turn" rather than "close" to achieve complexity often attributed only to longer works. 

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Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Length: 1 session
Start: July 15, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Short Story

FLASH! Writing Short Forms

Instructor: Sally Ashton. This generative workshop takes a comparative look at the prose poem, brief essay, and flash fiction, with writing prompts to experiment in each genre.

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Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Length: 1 session
Start: July 16, 2023 , 1:10pm PT
Format: Online
Memoir, Nonfiction

Memoir Techniques: Traveling Through Time

Instructor: Nicole Hardy. Through readings and discussions, explore how various authors effectively travel through time in memoir.

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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 1 session
Start: July 16, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: Online
Nonfiction, Poetry, Short Story, Fiction

Creative Writing Scribes for 7-8th grade

In this exploratory camp, students will engage with artistic activities, embark on field trips in-person and virtually, and write to creative prompts all designed to ignite their imaginations. The week will culminate with a reading and/or presentation of student work.

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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 5 sessions
Start: July 17, 2023 , 10:00am PT
Format: In Person
Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Novel, Fiction

Finishing Your Book

Instructor: Peter Mountford. For anyone struggling to finish their book, with discussions on revision, productivity, and the business of finding an agent/publisher.

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Level: Open to all levels
Length: 8 sessions
Start: July 17, 2023 , 12:00am PT
Format: Online Asynchronous
Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Memoir, Essay

Personal Essay Writing for Non-Writers & Newbies

Instructor: Natalie Serianni. In this introductory class, students will read and discuss personal essays, write to small prompts, and share their work in a supportive workshop environment.

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Level: Introductory
Length: 4 sessions
Start: July 18, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online
Nonfiction, The Writing Life, Memoir

How to Write an Overview of Your Memoir

Instructor: Theo Nestor. Learn how to craft spectacular overviews that can be adapted for query letters, book proposals and more.

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Level: Intermediate, Advanced
Length: 1 session
Start: July 18, 2023 , 5:00pm PT
Format: Online