Workshops
Craft in the Real World Book Discussion
zoomHave you always understood writing craft topics, such as plot, setting or tone, to be objective subjects? In his book Craft in the Real World, Matthew Salesses argues that “what we call craft is in fact nothing more or less than a set of expectations. … These expectations are never neutral.” Reviewer Leni Zumas, author Read More
Creative Approaches to Structuring Your Essay with Nancy McCabe
Join Straw Dog Writers Guild on Wednesday, February 9 from 7:00-9:00pm for an online craft workshop: Creative Approaches to Structuring Your Essay with Nancy McCabe. This interactive presentation will focus on the devices that fiction and poetry offers us in structuring our essays. We’ll explore options from traditional narrative to lyric approaches like braids, collages, Read More
Character Whispering: Strategies for Further Insight with Justine Dymond
zoomJoin us on Saturday, April 23, 10:30am - 12:00pm for a Straw Dog Writers Guild Craft Workshop: Character Whispering: Strategies for Further Insight with Justine Dymond, Whether you are playing with possibilities for new stories or trying to get closer to a character you’ve known for a while, this workshop will offer a variety of Read More
Poetry Writing: Strategies for Finding Voice Through Life Experience with Ron Welburn
Northampton Center for the Arts 33 Hawley St., Northampton, MA, United StatesJoin Straw Dog Writers Guild in person on Saturday, May 21, 2022 from 10:30am - 12:00pm for a craft workshop: Poetry Writing: Strategies for Finding Voice Through Life Experience with Ron Welburn. This is the long-awaited rescheduled event from last year. And it's being held by our co-sponsor the Northampton Center for the Arts. No Read More
Writing Funny Workshop with Terianne Falcone
Lilly Library 19 Meadow Street, Florence, MA, United StatesWhether you want to write comedy or just punch up your writing with humor, there are tips and tricks that you’d want under your belt. In fact, some of these “rules” transfer into any and all types of writing. In this two-hour free workshop, Terianne Falcone shares some of the standard techniques such as “The Read More
Crash Course on Using Dialogue
zoomA Crash Course on Using Dialogue. Or, how to avoid “Hi, how are you?” / “I’m fine, thanks. And yourself?” / “Just wonderful.” / “That’s great to hear. Have a nice day.” / “You as well!” with Morgan Talty will be held virtually via Zoom on Saturday, November 19, from 10:30am-12noon. Register HERE. “Don’t ever Read More
Workshop: Anyone Can Write About Food
Forbes Library Coolidge Museum, 20 West Street, Northampton, 01060In the beloved Pixar movie, Ratatouille’s muse, Chef Gusteau, has a motto: Anyone Can Cook! With this as our inspiration for food writing, we’ll learn about the genre, explore story types, identify comment elements, try our hand at writing and sharing food vignettes, and workshop food story pitches for publication. You’ll take home resources and Read More
Make it New (Again): An Introduction to Radical Revision
Lilly Library 19 Meadow Street, Florence, MA, United StatesDo you have a poem that you just can’t get right? Sometimes the best way to get past a creative block is to throw caution to the wind and destroy what you’ve built. Join Straw Dog Writers Guild and author Adam Grabowski on Saturday, February 18 from 10:30am-12:30pm at Lilly Library in Florence, MA for Read More
Historical Research: Fact and Fiction
zoomHistorical Research: Fact and Fiction will review methods of historical research, with emphasis on first-person, or primary, sources. The presenters will be at the Swift River Valley Historical Society and will have access to their archive room. The presentation will include on-line research and problems and obstacles with historical records. The presenters will also discuss Read More
Uneven Characters: Filling in the Cracks
The Artist Cafe 1365 Main Street, Springfield, MA, United StatesWriting characters can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be! In this workshop, we will go over what makes a character three-dimensional, using inspiration from ourselves and the people around us to create realistic characters (positive and negative traits, dynamic vs. static characters, etc.), and dialogue vs. action and how to utilize both to Read More