Personal essays are perhaps the genre that has the largest array of publication possibilities—literary journals, newspapers, magazines, alumni publications, and more all publish this form. That’s the good news! The challenge: finding the right publications for your story, along with submission guidelines, pay rates, and style preferences. In this workshop, you’ll learn where to find writer’s guidelines for popular newspaper and magazine essay columns (many with tips from the editor), how to create a submission plan to increase your success, and the pros and cons of submitting essays to newspapers and magazines vs. literary journals. By the end, you’ll have a list of resources and actionable tips to move your submissions forward. Give that essay on your hard drive (or in your journal) a chance to be published in the new year.

The Writer’s Center | Via Zoom | COST: $50
June 20, 2023; 7-9:30 p.m.

REGISTER

“Art is a microscope which the artist fixes on the secrets of his soul, and shows to people these secrets which are common to all.” — Leo Tolstoy

With the notion of essay as microscope, we’ll focus on developing your work-in-progress through close reading of published essays and discussions on what they can teach us about imagery, dialogue, scene and how a personal experience was shaped into a compelling story.

In the process, we’ll follow the #1 piece of advice editors give writers who want to appear in their pages: “read the magazine,” studying essays (including those that were the genesis of memoirs) from Creative Nonfiction, Brevity, The New York Times, Catapult, The Sun and more. We’ll also discuss submission guidelines for each publication.

The workshop is capped at eight people to allow for generative writing time and to enable each person to receive feedback on two essays (or one long essay). The goal is to leave the workshop with a strong revision, seeds for new essays and more insight on places to submit your work.

The Write Haven | Via Zoom | COST: CLASS FULL

Every other Monday, January 25 – April 5, 2021; 7-9:30 p.m.

REGISTER NOW

In this advanced workshop, experienced students working on personal essays and memoir chapters will receive guidance, support and feedback. We’ll continue to shape experiences and their meanings on the page; discuss higher level elements of craft and structures; and create strategies for revision. We’ll also use prompts, exercises, and discussions based on readings by notable authors, to generate new scenes and stories. Each member of the group will have at least two opportunities to be critiqued during the session.

Wednesdays, 7-9:30 p.m. (mostly bi-weekly)
A 6 meeting session beginning February 5, 2020
Open to: creative nonfiction writers with some workshop experience

The Muse Writers Center | CLASS FULL
February 5, 19; March 4, 18; April 1 and 22; 7-9:30 p.m.

Personal essays are perhaps the genre that has the largest array of publication possibilities. Literary journals, newspapers, magazines, alumni publications, and more all publish this form. That’s the good news! The challenge: finding the right publications for your story, along with submission guidelines, pay rates, and style preferences. In this seminar, you’ll learn where to find writer’s guidelines for popular newspaper and magazine essay columns (many with tips from the editor), how to create a submission plan to increase your success, and the pros and cons of submitting essays to newspapers and magazines vs. literary journals. By the end, you’ll have a list of resources and actionable tips to move your submissions forward. Give that essay on your hard drive (or in your journal) a chance to be published in 2020.

Wednesday, March 11, 2020. 7-9:30 p.m.
Open to: beginner through advanced creative nonfiction writers

The Muse Writers Center | COST: $45
March 11; 7-9:30 p.m.

Co-led with Lisa Colburn, a certified Journal to the Self® instructor.

Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss—these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore. In this workshop we’ll examine essays from magazines and newspapers to illuminate the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. We’ll also do some writing of our own, experimenting with these elements and sharing our writing with one another.

In our last hour, we’ll discuss how pitching personal essays is different from submitting other types of writing, and you’ll learn about places to submit your work, how to find the best writers’ guidelines, and what you should include (and omit) from an essay query. In addition, we’ll cover tips on how to increase your chances of being read and selected.

Please bring a notebook, pen, and a bag lunch. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

Co-instructor:
Lisa Colburn is a certified Amherst Writers & Artists facilitator and Journal to the Self® instructor. We met in a personal essay class at The Writer’s Center many years ago. Lisa now teaches an array of inspiring generative writing workshops.

REGISTER at Market Street Writers | CLASS FULL
Saturday, September 16, 2017 in Leesburg, VA; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For beginners interested in learning the basics of travel-writing and writers looking to sharpen their skills, this workshop will help participants experiment with various forms of travel writing, from news items to round-ups, reviews, and personal essays. We’ll begin by examining work in major newspaper and magazine travel sections, as well as travel publications and websites—all with an eye on each outlet’s specialized formats. Workshop participants will then research an outlet that fits his or her particular geographic niche or interest (Italy, Africa, family travel, cruises, spa, food, adventure travel, etc.) and craft a piece that adheres to that publications’ format and style. We’ll workshop the assignment and discuss the basics of seeking publication.

The Writer’s Center | Bethesda location
May 24 – June 14, 2017

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Journeys, relationships, hardships, love, and loss—these are just a few of the subjects personal essays explore. In this workshop we’ll examine essays from magazines and newspapers to illuminate the ways imagery, dialogue, scene, and crafting an “I” narrator transform a personal experience into a compelling story. You’ll generate new material each week through in-class exercises, plus receive feedback on two short essays.

The Writer’s Center | Bethesda location
October 26 – December 7, 2016

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This workshop is for writers with some experience writing personal essays. We’ll use readings on craft and notable essays as our guide to examine scene setting, imagery, narrative balance, and crafting an “I” narrator to create compelling stories from personal experiences. You’ll generate new material through in-class exercises, plus receive feedback on two essays. In the final class, we’ll discuss how and where to pitch essays for publication and the idea of a personal litmus test for knowing when to send your essay out into the world.

Hera Hub, D.C. | Friendship Heights
Six Sessions, 7 to 9:30 p.m., Wednesdays: March 2 & 9, and April 6 – 27, 2016

Contact Christine at ck@christinekoubek.com for registration information.

In this workshop, we’ll use essays from magazines and newspapers as our guide to examine the ways voice, scene, setting, and characterization transform a personal experience into a compelling story. You’ll generate new material through in-class exercises, plus write and workshop two 1,000-1,500 word essays. NOTE: CLASS FULL. Please subscribe below to hear about new workshops. 

The Writer’s Center | Bethesda location
November 11 – December 9, 2015

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This one day American Society of Journalists and Authors’ conference features tracks for both experienced and novice independent writers; plus sessions on writing about politics and government, finding your niche, social media tips, and writing for consumer publications, associations, and trade organizations. I’ll be moderating the Mid-Atlantic Life panel and discussing story needs with editors from Washington Post magazine, Amtrak’s Arrive, and Bethesda and Arlington magazines.

ASJA-A Capital Event | National Press Club, D.C.
Date: Friday, August 28, 2015
Time: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

A broad look at the various places travel stories can go, plus where to find (or how to put together your own) detailed writer’s guidelines, and then use that information to write a pitch letter that best sells your story.

The Writer’s Center | Bethesda location
Date: June 3, 2015
Time: 7:00 – 9:30 p.m.

Two session workshop to revise and polish a travel story draft.

The Writer’s Center | Bethesda location
Date: Wednesdays – May 13 and 20, 2015
Time: 7:00 – 9:30 p.m.

Three adopted people shared their unique perspectives on reunion.

Concerned United Birthparents Annual Conference
Safety Harbor, Florida
October 2014

The workshop was based on my MFA thesis: “Imagination and the Transformation of Personal Experience in Four Works of First Person Narrative” (. . . and my crush on Stephen Colbert)

The Writer’s Center | Bethesda location
March 2014