Lyzette Wanzer, MFA

You're a writer of color who's done the hard work: You understand story structure and you can close-read like a forensics expert. Workshops don't scare you; you know how to talk about your work and take feedback. And you can really WRITE…but now you're wondering, what next? 

How do you actually go about the business of becoming a writer in the world? You've heard how white the publishing industry is—what does that mean for you? 

This career-development workshop is designed for writers of color (writing in any and all genres) who are eager to learn the business side of being a writer. It's ideal for writers with a consistent practice and a portfolio of work who are comfortable sharing their writing with classmates. Learn more details about this powerful, impactful workshop.

Have you been sending good work out to literary journals and contests and racking up nothing but rejections? Your submissions strategy and materials presentation–rather than your work–may be the reason why you're ending up in the rejection pile.

In this month-long workshop, learn how to locate a breadth of suitable markets for your work and incorporate practical tips on formatting submissions that demonstrate polish and serious intent. We'll go beyond journals and consider opportunities such as magazines, call for papers (CFP) lists, and writing contests.

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Have you been trying for years to have a panel proposal accepted at one of the major literary or humanities conferences, but haven't had any luck? Getting a proposal accepted at AWP, CEA, MLA, PCA, or numerous other conferences is a mélange of art, wordsmithing, and savvy pitching. It may not be your ideas that are wrong, but rather your written proposal's design and delivery. In this four-hour workshop, participants learn:

• What committees seek in an attractive proposal
• How to craft succinct, snackable, and significant descriptions
• Where to locate conferences that are excellent matches
• Why overwriting can kill proposals
• How to recruit and curate your presenters
• How panel titles can make all the difference
• Missteps to avoid in proposals.

Students should be comfortable navigating and researching on websites and sharing written work with classmates. Reserve your seat for this info-packed, virtual session.

Being invited to read your creative work at a conference is a huge feather in your literary cap. This workshop offers information, guidance, and strategies for writers wishing to have their work accepted at a writers' conference, whether virtual or in-person. This workshop is open to writers of all levels who feel prepared to present their work at a professional writers' conference. Learn how to:

• choose the right writers' conference for you
• prepare a polished submission
• make a professional impression from submission to attendance
• secure financial support to attend
• practice conference etiquette: the do's and dont's of both applying and attending
• avoid common, costly mistakes in your CV and bio that mark you as an amateur

We will be engaging in hands-on research and working on our literary resumes. Participants completing this workshop will be prepared to select and prepare submissions for several literary conferences and have leads on finding funding to support travel. Registration is now open!

Have you thought about enrolling in a Creative Writing MFA program, but feel intimidated by the application process? Do you fret about how to make your application rise to the top in a stack of fierce competitors? How can you avoid the most common pitfalls?

You know how competitive these programs are and how exacting the admissions requirements can be. Learn how to curate a polished, professional, impactful application package that's designed to impress admission committees. In this workshop learn:

• how to avoid the blunders and omissions that many fellow applicants will make
• how to create a literary resume that adheres to professional standards
• the variations among program types (which format is right for you?)
• what to include in the dreaded personal statement–and what to leave out
• sources of funding support

Though this class is geared for people thinking about or planning to apply to an MFA program in fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry, playwrights and screenwriters are also welcome. Enrollment for this hands-on workshop is limited.

Writers, it's time to set aside the bevy of excuses about why you're not sending your work out to journals,  newspapers, magazines, and contests. In this boot camp-style workshop, you'll focus on submitting a maximum of two short stories, articles, essays, and/or creative nonfiction pieces to 20 markets in just six weeks (poets should be prepared to submit a group of three to five poems.) In a safe, supportive community, you'll begin by learning proper submission etiquette and protocol, avoiding pitfalls that mark you as an amateur.

• Learn where to locate legitimate, respectable markets
• Become proficient in navigating the publication landscape
• Get practical tips on formatting submissions that look professional
• Find out what the most popular submission platforms are and how they make your life easier
• Write your author bio
• Create a Research Collection Sheet to identify individualized markets
• Select and use a professional submission tracker

This workshop is designed for committed writers who have one or two finished, polished pieces (three to five pieces for poets) of 5,000 words or less that are ready to send out for publication. Register to reserve your space for this popular, dividend-yielding workshop.