A Two-Session Intensive Workshop
Saturdays, October 2 & 16
Level: All Levels
The process of crafting compelling and readable personal essays doesn’t have to feel never-ending. In fact, sometimes the best way to get an essay in great shape is for a writer to impose clear boundaries on their time.
This intensive workshop will help move participants’ personal essays from draft stage to submission stage over the course of two classes. Combining both in-class workshopping and individual critiques, this course is designed to furnish writers with practical editing strategies and structural notes that enable them to give their essays a professional polish. Attendees will leave with both a revised personal essay and editing skills that will embolden them to complete future essays with increased confidence.
Prior the first session, participants will submit a personal essay of up to 2,500 words. Ryan Britt, author of the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read (Plume, Penguin Randomhouse, 2015) and senior editor at Fatherly, will offer personalized critiques of each essay. During the first session, participants’ essays will be discussed in a traditional in-class workshop approach. Prior to the second session, each participant will submit a revision of their essay. During the second session, the class will discuss the revised essays. Options and venues for publishing essays will also be touched on in session two.
+ SUBMIT After registering, participants are asked to submit one personal essay draft of up to 2500 words by no later than 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 23. Please take this deadline seriously as MWPA likely cannot to accept late submissions and excess words will be cut. Please note that these manuscripts will be distributed in advance via email to the other workshop participants. Please email the manuscript to programs@mainewriters.org with the subject line: “BRITT WORKSHOP MSS.” Please use standard formatting (1” margins, double-spaced, 12 pt font). *Word docs (ideally) or PDFs only, please.
+ PLEASE NOTE This workshop will occur online via Zoom. Students do not need to create an account to participate, but should test out Zoom before their class if they are first-time users. On Thursday, September 30, from 5:30pm to 6:30pm, MWPA staff will offer a tech help session on Zoom. Students are encouraged to attend the tech help session, which usually takes only 5-10 minutes, if they have any tech concerns, use Zoom infrequently, or simply would like to test their connection, and those who do not are responsible for ensuring that they are able to use Zoom on their own. The week of the workshop, students will be emailed a link that they may click to enter the test session and the class.
+ REQUIRED EQUIPMENT A reliable, fast internet connection (broadband wired or wireless (3G or 4G/LTE), speakers & a microphone (built-in or USB plug-in), and a webcam (built-in or USB plug-in).
If you would like to quickly and easily test your internet connection and your computer’s compatibility with Zoom, click HERE. Full details on supported Operating Systems, internet browsers, and more can be found HERE. To download and familiarize yourself with Zoom, click HERE.
Ryan Britt is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. His first book, the essay collection Luke Skywalker Can’t Read was published by Plume (Penguin Random House) in 2015 and was praised by Vanity Fair, Paste, and many others. Ryan’s writing has been published in the New York Times, VICE, Tor.com, CNN Style, The Morning News, and numerous online outlets. Ryan was a senior editor at Inverse and is currently a senior editor at the parenting lifestyle Fatherly. He has taught writing courses for over seven years at Gotham Writers’ Workshop, Sackett Street Writers’ Workshop, and Catapult. He is represented by The Fischer-Harbage Agency and lives with his wife and daughter in South Portland.
ADVANCE REGISTRATION REQUIRED
All MWPA workshops require advanced registration. We accept registration by phone, mail, and online via our website. We cannot guarantee registration in the final 24-hours before a workshop, and can rarely accommodate day-of registration.
PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICIES
If you need to withdraw from a class after registering for any reason, please email or call the MWPA immediately. You may be eligible for a partial refund or credit, depending on how far in advance you cancel. → MORE INFORMATION
QUESTIONS
For any questions regarding this workshop, please contact Hannah Perry at hannah@mainewriters.org.
REGISTER BY PHONE
Call 207-228-8263 and register with your VISA or MasterCard.
REGISTER BY MAIL
If you prefer to pay by mail, please print this registration form (downloadable PDF) and mail it to the MWPA with a check or credit card information.
SCHOLARSHIP
The MWPA is proud to offer one full scholarship to this workshop for members-only. Scholarships are awarded on a combination of need and merit. Application Due on September 20 at 9:00 a.m.
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MWPA WORKSHOP POLICIES
Registration in any MWPA workshop, program, or event constitutes your agreement to our terms and conditions. → MORE INFORMATION