In this workshop, we take a close look at the children’s book There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly , the Marc Richard short story, “Strays,” and Donald Barthelme's "The School" to see what they can teach us about how to structure a work in progress.

In this workshop, we will explore how to write a cliff-hanger and how to know when to wrap up a scene. We'll also discuss the importance of complex characters and how to lop off those wonderful setting descriptions and cling to the action. We will discover as writers how to write our own page-turners.

Come to this workshop prepared to write! We’ll be doing exercises in character development with bad behavior and mistakes in mind.

This special pair of workshops is designed to engage with writers and creators searching for their storytelling voice. Instructor Iris Jackson will share experiences from her Telling Trails photos, poems, and writings, providing time for comments and conversation, with the goal of students creating and sharing their own narratives.

In this workshop, Mary will share the stories beyond her books, including how she developed and published them. Through Mary's stories of the missteps she took, the lessons she learned, and the approaches which now guide her publishing journey, she will offer advice and guidance for writers seeking to craft and publish their own books.

This special pair of workshops is designed to engage with writers and creators searching for their storytelling voice. Instructor Iris Jackson will share experiences from her Telling Trails photos, poems, and writings, providing time for comments and conversation, with the goal of students creating and sharing their own narratives.

In this workshop, Mary will share the stories beyond her books, including how she developed and published them. Through Mary's stories of the missteps she took, the lessons she learned, and the approaches which now guide her publishing journey, she will offer advice and guidance for writers seeking to craft and publish their own books.

We’ll look at examples of effective dialogue, discuss what makes these examples work, and use what we learn to practice writing dialogue on our own.

In this seminar and workshop, participants will discuss setting in prose fiction, including its importance in establishing “place,” its integration into scene, and its support of characterization and theme.