Great food writing goes beyond the plate. Through reading and prompts, we’ll explore the food essay as a way to write about memory, culture, history, pleasure, the human experience, and more. Leave with an essay draft and a strategy for next steps and/or publication.
generative, craft, cohort
4
Sessions
Thursdays, August 13 - September 3, 2026
5:00-7:00 pm PT
In Person
Fiction
Advanced
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.Â
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
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
© 2022 Hugo House
4
Sessions 
In Person
Fiction
Advanced
