Workshops
Darling You’re Making a Scene
zoomStraw Dog Writers Guild presents: “Darling, You’re Making a Scene” with Áine Greaney on Saturday, October 16, 2021 10:30 – 12:00. This workshop will be on Zoom. Registration required. Register HERE. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, learn how to craft lively, memorable scenes that draw the reader in and make them care about your Read More
Exploring Some Japanese Poetry Forms: Writing Haiku and Tanka
zoomStraw Dog Writers Guild presents: Exploring Some Japanese Poetry Forms: Writing Haiku and Tanka with Eileen P. Kennedy on Wednesday, November 17, 2021 from 6:30 - 8:00pm. Haiku and Tanka are traditional Japanese poetry forms. How do we go about developing our creative thoughts into these highly structured styles of poetry? In this short workshop, Read More
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
Small Publishing in a Big Universe
zoomJoin Straw Dog Writers Guild for our May craft workshop "Small Publishing in a Big Universe" with writer Steven Radecki on Sunday, May 21, 4:00-5:30pm via Zoom. Between traditional publishing and self-publishing there is small publishing. We discuss the place that independent publishers play in the publishing ecosystem, comparing and contrasting the submissions processes, benefits, Read More
How to Become an Engaging & Dynamic Reader of Your Written Work and Wow Your Audience
zoomThis workshop is for anyone who wants to learn (and practice) reading the written word aloud (whether your own or that of others), with power, flair, and dynamism! Join Straw Dog Writers Guild on Wednesday, September 13, 6:00 - 8:00 pm for How to Become an Engaging & Dynamic Reader of Your Written Work and Read More
Let’s Make a Scene
Lilly Library 19 Meadow Street, Florence, MA, United StatesScenes are the building blocks of screenplays. Like Legos, each one is strong and intact on its own — but its purpose is to be part of a larger structure. This is a seminar for anyone interested in the many ways screenwriting differs from prose. To get the most from our time together, read a Read More
Every 4th Reader is Listening: Getting Your Book into Their Ears
Athol Public Library 568 Main St, Athol, MA, United StatesNarrator Scott Ellis shares, "As an audiobook narrator and retired teacher, I am always looking for ways to engage more people with audiobooks. I am looking forward to being with your group to walk through the entire process of audiobook production: from searching for the right narrator on the right platform, understanding the lingo used Read More
Chapbooks: Crafting a Collection
Join Straw Dog Writers Guild with presenter Adrie Rose on Sunday, February 11 via zoom from 3-5pm for this craft workshop. We will come together to work on pulling together poems into a chapbook collection. We’ll talk about what chapbooks are (and are not) and some strategies for arranging the poems in them. Participants are Read More
Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Writing a Query Letter
zoomJoin Straw Dog Writers Guild with literary agent Cherise Fisher for an informative workshop about the often daunting task of writing a query letter. When you are ready to search for an agent, learn how to write the best query letter possible. Experienced agents like Cherise have received thousands of query letters and she has Read More
WriteAngles Conference
Northampton Center for the Arts 33 Hawley St., Northampton, MA, United StatesStraw Dog Writers Guild and our literary partners around western MA are re-imagining the WriteAngles Writers Conference, a local gem for over 30 years. Please save the date, April 6, 2024, for this day-long gathering of writers. That’s a long way away, you say? You’re right, but that gives us lots of time to brainstorm Read More
Dazzle an Agent: Pro Tips to Put the Polish on Your Manuscript
Make-It Springfield 286 Bridge Street, Springfield, MA, United StatesThe publishing market is brutally competitive. It’s not easy to get a query past the gatekeepers at publishing houses and literary agencies. You’re going to need an achingly good (and short) intro letter and an irresistible manuscript sample. You could pay an editor to buff up your prose, but with a little bit of elbow Read More