Experience the thrill of creative effort! Do you long to jumpstart – or bolster – your writing practice? Need submission guidance? This workshop checks those boxes and more! Our goal by week’s end is for you to write and share (always optional) two to three “brave, unflinching” concise essays to submit to The Sun Magazine’s Readers Write section. The Sun is an outstanding literary magazine that reaches more than 70,000 readers. The overall goal for the publication, as stated by editor and co-founder, Sy Safransky, is to create a feeling of connection between contributors and readers.

We’ll work energetically, remembering that serious work takes serious play. We’ll first look deeply into The Sun Magazine, whose issues “evoke the splendor and heartache of being human.” We’ll then have several focused mini-lessons with guided writing prompts that elicit your best writing, followed by constructive group feedback. Expect lively, interactive sessions and breakthroughs aplenty. In addition, you will

1.     Become familiar with The Sun & learn how to submit your work

2.     Jumpstart new pieces linked to The Sun’s upcoming topics

3.     Narrow your focus, yet capture the bigger story to connect with readers

4.     Draft two to three nonfiction pieces for submission to The Sun magazine’s “Readers Write” section

5.     Meet with me one-on-one for 20 minutes to discuss any aspect of your writing

6.     Apply revision strategies to tell your story with insight, authenticity & energy

Take-aways will abound, but most of all, you will leave knowing more about the submission process and how to target future pieces for the publication of your choice, how to jumpstart new writing, and how to effectively revise. This new learning will strengthen your writing practice.

In this workshop, we will generate new writing through exercises and assignments; provide feedback on writing you produce in our week.