RBWG Summer 2023 Classes
In Person and Online Tutorials via Email
Weekly Calendar
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Register Here Please register first with Maribeth at fischer.maribeth@gmail.com to make sure that the class is running (at times we do not have enough participants to make the class work) or is not already filled. Maribeth will respond to you within a day. Pay Here Because we are committed to keeping our classes small and because we can only continue to do this if participants commit to and pay for all classes, we ask that ONCE WE CONFIRM THE CLASS WILL RUN, you pay for the full class amount up front. If you are interested in a class and cannot pay for it up front, just send Maribeth an email and we’ll work out a payment plan. Please do not pay prior to hearing from Maribeth that the class is running and a seat is available. We are unable to make full refunds if payment is received without confirmation from Maribeth first.
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Our Instructors
Click here to read brief biographies for each of our instructors.
Special Writing Challenge
Swimming Under Water: A Ten-Day Writing Challenge - Maribeth Fischer (2 weeks)
When: Jun 5-9 & Jun 12-16
Where: Online via Email
Cost: RBWG Members $50; Non-Members $60
All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath. — F. Scott Fitzgerald
For ten days (we’ll skip weekends), our challenge will be to write 500 words a day, starting our summer with a whopping 5,000 words.
There are times when the most important thing we can do as writers is to get words on the page. Stop fussing, stop editing, stop agonizing over word choice. Just write. Create character sketches, describe landscapes, write a detailed outline of the entire memoir or story or essay or novel. Write the poem without line breaks. Make a list of scenes, then force yourself to pick one and dive in. It’s a fallacy to think you must have it all figured out in order to begin. You don’t.
Each morning, those who accept this challenge will get a short email offering inspiration, and a writing prompt (that there’s no obligation to use).
Each night, participants will email Maribeth one thing: the number of words they wrote. There’s no critique or praise, no sharing of work, just a community of writers all vowing to make writing a priority for these two weeks.
Keeping with our swimming metaphor, novelist Gish Jen says, “When I start a piece I don’t have a plan; I’m not looking ahead. I’m looking only at what I’m doing, and then I look up and realize, ‘Here I am on the other shore of the lake, so I guess I must have been swimming.”
So, let’s do it: Let’s start swimming across the lake!
When: Jun 5-9 & Jun 12-16
Where: Online via Email
Cost: RBWG Members $50; Non-Members $60
All good writing is swimming under water and holding your breath. — F. Scott Fitzgerald
For ten days (we’ll skip weekends), our challenge will be to write 500 words a day, starting our summer with a whopping 5,000 words.
There are times when the most important thing we can do as writers is to get words on the page. Stop fussing, stop editing, stop agonizing over word choice. Just write. Create character sketches, describe landscapes, write a detailed outline of the entire memoir or story or essay or novel. Write the poem without line breaks. Make a list of scenes, then force yourself to pick one and dive in. It’s a fallacy to think you must have it all figured out in order to begin. You don’t.
Each morning, those who accept this challenge will get a short email offering inspiration, and a writing prompt (that there’s no obligation to use).
Each night, participants will email Maribeth one thing: the number of words they wrote. There’s no critique or praise, no sharing of work, just a community of writers all vowing to make writing a priority for these two weeks.
Keeping with our swimming metaphor, novelist Gish Jen says, “When I start a piece I don’t have a plan; I’m not looking ahead. I’m looking only at what I’m doing, and then I look up and realize, ‘Here I am on the other shore of the lake, so I guess I must have been swimming.”
So, let’s do it: Let’s start swimming across the lake!
Poetry
Don’t Know Much About Poetry - Part I - Gail Braune Comorat (4 sessions)
When: Tuesdays, Jul 11, 18, 25 & Aug 1
10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista Road (Behind Big Fish Grill)
Cost: RBWG Members $200; Non-Members $230
I hope the classroom is a place not of mastery but of study — Ross Gay
This class is for people who love poetry but are unsure about how to respond to poems. I’ll guide you through poems written by skilled poets, help you to understand what is working in a poem and how the poet is accomplishing this. We’ll explore word choice, line breaks, enjambment, and leaps. Why is image so important? When should we use couplets? Who should we be reading? All the things you’ve been afraid to ask, we’ll talk about in this class. I’ll even include a cheat sheet you’ll be able to use for future reference.
Through the use of weekly exercises, each participant will be able to compose original poems which will then be looked at during gentle group discussions.
Wearing Masks: Finding Distance in Writing Poems - Gail Braune Comorat (4 sessions)
When: Tuesdays, Aug 8, 15, 22, 29
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista Road (Behind Big Fish Grill)
Cost: RBWG Members $200; Non-members $230
The irony of life is that those who wear masks often tell us more truths than those with open faces.
— Marie Lu, The Rose Society
During the pandemic, we wore masks, hiding our emotions behind fabric meant to protect others with whom we came in contact. In poetry, masks can protect our “fragile selves,” the “I” we might not wish to reveal. We can still write the difficult poems, but through the use of argument, persona, and the second and third person points of view we can more easily accomplish this task.
In this class, as we read sample poems and write our own, we’ll look at ways we can create a “rhetorical distance” between ourselves and the speaker of our poems. We’ll write the difficult poems, tell truths, but from behind a mask.
When: Tuesdays, Jul 11, 18, 25 & Aug 1
10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista Road (Behind Big Fish Grill)
Cost: RBWG Members $200; Non-Members $230
I hope the classroom is a place not of mastery but of study — Ross Gay
This class is for people who love poetry but are unsure about how to respond to poems. I’ll guide you through poems written by skilled poets, help you to understand what is working in a poem and how the poet is accomplishing this. We’ll explore word choice, line breaks, enjambment, and leaps. Why is image so important? When should we use couplets? Who should we be reading? All the things you’ve been afraid to ask, we’ll talk about in this class. I’ll even include a cheat sheet you’ll be able to use for future reference.
Through the use of weekly exercises, each participant will be able to compose original poems which will then be looked at during gentle group discussions.
Wearing Masks: Finding Distance in Writing Poems - Gail Braune Comorat (4 sessions)
When: Tuesdays, Aug 8, 15, 22, 29
Time: 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista Road (Behind Big Fish Grill)
Cost: RBWG Members $200; Non-members $230
The irony of life is that those who wear masks often tell us more truths than those with open faces.
— Marie Lu, The Rose Society
During the pandemic, we wore masks, hiding our emotions behind fabric meant to protect others with whom we came in contact. In poetry, masks can protect our “fragile selves,” the “I” we might not wish to reveal. We can still write the difficult poems, but through the use of argument, persona, and the second and third person points of view we can more easily accomplish this task.
In this class, as we read sample poems and write our own, we’ll look at ways we can create a “rhetorical distance” between ourselves and the speaker of our poems. We’ll write the difficult poems, tell truths, but from behind a mask.
Nonfiction
Creative Non-Fiction: Memoir and Personal Essay - Judy Catterton (5 sessions)
When: Tuesdays, Jul 11, 18, 25 & Aug 1, 8
10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista Road (Behind Big Fish Grill)
Cost: RBWG Members $250; Non-Members $285
The literary magazine Creative Nonfiction characterizes its content as “true stories well told.” We all have tons of true stories we’d like to tell. But how do we tell them well? How do we turn interesting anecdotes into engaging pieces that explore our personal histories? This class will focus on literary techniques, sometimes thought to be unique to fiction, such as plot, character, dialogue and voice that are important in memoir and personal essays as well. Class members will gently critique each other’s writing, learning effective and artful ways to communicate their life experiences.
When: Tuesdays, Jul 11, 18, 25 & Aug 1, 8
10:00 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista Road (Behind Big Fish Grill)
Cost: RBWG Members $250; Non-Members $285
The literary magazine Creative Nonfiction characterizes its content as “true stories well told.” We all have tons of true stories we’d like to tell. But how do we tell them well? How do we turn interesting anecdotes into engaging pieces that explore our personal histories? This class will focus on literary techniques, sometimes thought to be unique to fiction, such as plot, character, dialogue and voice that are important in memoir and personal essays as well. Class members will gently critique each other’s writing, learning effective and artful ways to communicate their life experiences.
Multigenre
Self-Checkout Lane: Exploring Your Life for Story - Ethan Joella (4 sessions)
When: Mondays, Jun 19, 26 & Jul 3, 10
Where: Online (tutorial)
Cost: RBWG Members $200; Non-Members $230
There are no live meetings for this class; new work is given to you every Monday, and weekly assignments are due the following Sunday.
Whether your goal is an essay, short fiction with autobiographical notes, or memoir-style poetry, in this online tutorial, you will examine who you are, what you have to say, and what that all means. In this four-week class with small assignments due each Sunday, you will study authors who draw from their personal lives in unique ways and look at what structure and storytelling format best complement your personal experiences. You will start with low-stakes exercises in the first three weeks and then finish with one substantial piece at the tutorial’s end.
Humor Writing for Fun (and Maybe Even Profit!) - Elise Seyfried (4 sessions)
When: Thursdays, Jul 20, 27 & Aug 3, 10
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista Road (behind Big Fish Grille)
OR online (please indicate online or in person when you register)
Cost: RBWG Members $200; Non-Members $230
Comedy writing is taking the brief thought and going with it — Chris O’Dowd
It seems the more serious our world is becoming, the greater our need for comedy. Comedy specials and humor websites are attracting more viewers than ever before. Maybe you’ve been told you have a good sense of humor, and you (from time to time) even think you ARE funny. Here’s your chance to build up those comedy muscles, and perhaps even get your humor published!
For four weeks, we’ll explore the nuts and bolts of humor writing. We’ll come up with original pitches, and turn some of those pitches into comedy pieces. The goal is to submit a piece to a humor site (even The New Yorker! Why not? Aim high!) We’re not writing a 500 page novel; instead, we’re polishing short comic gems. Let’s corral those brief, funny thoughts and go for a wild ride!
When: Mondays, Jun 19, 26 & Jul 3, 10
Where: Online (tutorial)
Cost: RBWG Members $200; Non-Members $230
There are no live meetings for this class; new work is given to you every Monday, and weekly assignments are due the following Sunday.
Whether your goal is an essay, short fiction with autobiographical notes, or memoir-style poetry, in this online tutorial, you will examine who you are, what you have to say, and what that all means. In this four-week class with small assignments due each Sunday, you will study authors who draw from their personal lives in unique ways and look at what structure and storytelling format best complement your personal experiences. You will start with low-stakes exercises in the first three weeks and then finish with one substantial piece at the tutorial’s end.
Humor Writing for Fun (and Maybe Even Profit!) - Elise Seyfried (4 sessions)
When: Thursdays, Jul 20, 27 & Aug 3, 10
Where: Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Bay Vista Road (behind Big Fish Grille)
OR online (please indicate online or in person when you register)
Cost: RBWG Members $200; Non-Members $230
Comedy writing is taking the brief thought and going with it — Chris O’Dowd
It seems the more serious our world is becoming, the greater our need for comedy. Comedy specials and humor websites are attracting more viewers than ever before. Maybe you’ve been told you have a good sense of humor, and you (from time to time) even think you ARE funny. Here’s your chance to build up those comedy muscles, and perhaps even get your humor published!
For four weeks, we’ll explore the nuts and bolts of humor writing. We’ll come up with original pitches, and turn some of those pitches into comedy pieces. The goal is to submit a piece to a humor site (even The New Yorker! Why not? Aim high!) We’re not writing a 500 page novel; instead, we’re polishing short comic gems. Let’s corral those brief, funny thoughts and go for a wild ride!
Fiction
Graduate School in a Box (or Essentials of Fiction Writing) - Maribeth Fischer (8 sessions)
When: Mondays, Jun 19, 26; Jul 10, 17, 24, 31 & Aug 7, 14
Where: Online
Cost: RBWG Members $400; Non-Members $450
This is a class for writers who are coming to creative writing after years in the business, legal, or academic world. You know how to write; you’ve done it your whole life, but fiction is a whole different ballgame and you aren’t sure how to get started, though you’d love to try writing stories, or a novel maybe... Or perhaps you’ve written creatively for years, but never actually learned — or perhaps want to review —the fundamental techniques of fiction writing.
Each week we’ll explore a key aspect of fiction writing, doing brief exercises that will allow participants to better understand the techniques and how to apply them in their own work. We’ll look at how to create three-dimensional characters who “seem to breathe on the page” (yes, there are specific techniques and rules to guide writers); we’ll discuss how to create compelling plots and what constitutes plot (you do NOT have to have it figured out before you begin); we’ll discuss point of view and why it’s essential to all writing, look at how and when to write flashbacks, review the essential ingredients of good dialogue, and much much more. Each class will cover years of creative writing “lessons” distilled into what is essential for every writer to know.
Participants will be given a short assignment each week (and if the writer is currently working on a project—starting a novel, writing a story—these assignments can be used to develop the writing of that specific project). Maribeth will offer feedback on assignments.
Driving a Car at Night II: Assignments in Fiction - Maribeth Fischer (8 sessions)
When: Fridays, Jun 23, 30; Jul 7, 14, 21, 28 & August 4, 11
Where: Online
Cost: RBWG Members $400; Non-Members $450
[Writing is] like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. — E.L. Doctorow
This is a class for writers who have taken Graduate School in a Box (which introduces key concepts in fiction writing) and want to continue learning new techniques in fiction. It’s also a class for writers who have embarked on a novel or short story and find themselves stuck, not sure where to go next. Each week, writers will be given an assignment (with examples from works of contemporary fiction). Some assignments will help with structuring the story; others will develop content. One assignment might ask you to use the techniques of flashforward (structure), another might ask you to write a scene where your character is dealing with money—having it, not having it, wanting it (content); yet another assignment will ask you to incorporate social media into the story (structure and content). Each assignment helps the writer discover new aspects of her story. Many of the Guild’s published writers have incorporated these assignments into their finished novels and stories—and we’ll look at a few of those examples too. (You don’t need to have taken “Driving I”).
When: Mondays, Jun 19, 26; Jul 10, 17, 24, 31 & Aug 7, 14
Where: Online
Cost: RBWG Members $400; Non-Members $450
This is a class for writers who are coming to creative writing after years in the business, legal, or academic world. You know how to write; you’ve done it your whole life, but fiction is a whole different ballgame and you aren’t sure how to get started, though you’d love to try writing stories, or a novel maybe... Or perhaps you’ve written creatively for years, but never actually learned — or perhaps want to review —the fundamental techniques of fiction writing.
Each week we’ll explore a key aspect of fiction writing, doing brief exercises that will allow participants to better understand the techniques and how to apply them in their own work. We’ll look at how to create three-dimensional characters who “seem to breathe on the page” (yes, there are specific techniques and rules to guide writers); we’ll discuss how to create compelling plots and what constitutes plot (you do NOT have to have it figured out before you begin); we’ll discuss point of view and why it’s essential to all writing, look at how and when to write flashbacks, review the essential ingredients of good dialogue, and much much more. Each class will cover years of creative writing “lessons” distilled into what is essential for every writer to know.
Participants will be given a short assignment each week (and if the writer is currently working on a project—starting a novel, writing a story—these assignments can be used to develop the writing of that specific project). Maribeth will offer feedback on assignments.
Driving a Car at Night II: Assignments in Fiction - Maribeth Fischer (8 sessions)
When: Fridays, Jun 23, 30; Jul 7, 14, 21, 28 & August 4, 11
Where: Online
Cost: RBWG Members $400; Non-Members $450
[Writing is] like driving a car at night. You never see further than your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way. — E.L. Doctorow
This is a class for writers who have taken Graduate School in a Box (which introduces key concepts in fiction writing) and want to continue learning new techniques in fiction. It’s also a class for writers who have embarked on a novel or short story and find themselves stuck, not sure where to go next. Each week, writers will be given an assignment (with examples from works of contemporary fiction). Some assignments will help with structuring the story; others will develop content. One assignment might ask you to use the techniques of flashforward (structure), another might ask you to write a scene where your character is dealing with money—having it, not having it, wanting it (content); yet another assignment will ask you to incorporate social media into the story (structure and content). Each assignment helps the writer discover new aspects of her story. Many of the Guild’s published writers have incorporated these assignments into their finished novels and stories—and we’ll look at a few of those examples too. (You don’t need to have taken “Driving I”).
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