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Upcoming Workshops
October 2023
Haunt Your Fiction: Writing Ghost Stories (Tin House Craft Intensive)
Faculty: Nova Ren Suma
Session One (SOLD OUT) has passed
Session Two: Sunday, October 1, 11am–2pm Pacific / 2pm–5pm Eastern SOLD OUT
Online
Consider the kind of story that spreads and gets under the skin, a tale that leaves the listener rapt and fearful and wanting to believe… A good ghost story can make your heart pound and have you questioning what’s real in the most thrilling ways. In this intensive we will dig into the craft tools that can be gained from fiction that features hauntings and apparitions, such as atmosphere and mood, suspense and mystery, tension and the suspension of disbelief. We will talk unreliable narration and the way ghosts can be used in stories of all genres. We will revel in and discuss some ghostly excerpted reading from authors such as Mariana Enríquez, Shirley Jackson, Alice Sola Kim, and Nina LaCour. And we’ll do some generative writing prompts meant to shake up new ideas for paranormal and supernatural fiction. Come ready to write during our session and, perhaps, bravely share one of your eerie creations.
The September session (sold out) has passed. The October session is sold out.
October 2023
Making Magic: Writing and Refining Fantastical and Otherworldly Stories
Making Magic at the Highlights Foundation
Faculty: Anna-Marie McLemore & Nova Ren Suma
Special guests: Alison Green Myers, Alex Villlasanta, Kat Brzozowski
October 23–26, 2023 (SOLD OUT)
In-person 4-Day/3-Night Workshop and Retreat
Deepen the magic in your middle grade or young adult novel with novelists Anna-Marie McLemore and Nova Ren Suma. In this generative writing workshop, you’ll enjoy in-depth craft lectures from experienced faculty authors, small group workshopping, 1:1 faculty consultations, and ample private time to retreat so that you can write, wander, and connect with fellow magic makers.
WORKSHOP IS FULL, but you can Join the Waitlist.
Past Workshops:
2023
- Crafting the YA Novel Creative Lab at the Winter 2023 SCBWI Conference: Weekend intensive, Feb. 10–12, 2023.
- Tin House Craft Intensive: Memory Trove: A Generative Fiction Workshop with Nova Ren Suma (Online): May 2023.
- Tin House Craft Intensive: Haunt Your Fiction: Writing Ghost Stories with Nova Ren Suma (Online): September 2023.
2022
- Fine Arts Work Center/24PearlStreet Workshops: Crafting the Young Adult Novel (Asynchronous, with live elements): Summer Session July 18–August 12, 2022.
- Fine Arts Work Center/24PearlStreet Workshops: Crafting the Young Adult Novel (Asynchronous, with live elements): Fall Session Nov. 7–Dec. 2, 2022.
2021
- Tin House 2021 YA Fiction Workshop (Virtual): Feb. 11–15, 2021. Second annual YA fiction workshop directed by Tin House. Faculty: Jennifer De Leon, Mason Deaver, Alaya Dawn Johnson, Yamile Saied Méndez, Mark Oshiro, Ben Philippe, Nova Ren Suma, Ashley Woodfolk.
- Paranormal Fiction Workshop with the Manhattanville College MFA in Creative Writing Program (Virtual): October 23, 2021.
- Canceled due to COVID-19:
—2021 Djerassi YA Novel Workshop
2020
- Postponed or canceled due to COVID-19:
—Making Magic at Highlights Foundation (postponed to 2023)
—Ghosts, Witches, and Craft: A Salem Writing Retreat (canceled)
2019
- Blue Stoop YA Novel Weekend Intensive: April 6–7, 2019. Indy Hall, Philadelphia, CA. Sponsored by Blue Stoop.
- Djerassi YA Novel Writing Workshop: May 4–10, 2019. Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA.
- Ghosts, Haunts, and Haints: Paranormal Writing Weekend: June 28–30, 2019, Charleston, South Carolina. Co-led with intuitive and medium Holly Raychelle Hughes.
2018
- Djerassi YA Novel Alumni Reunion Workshop: April 16–21, 2018. Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA.
2017
- New England SCBWI Conference: April 21–23, 2017. Sheraton Monarch Place, Springfield, MA. Conference faculty. Workshop leader of two first pages workshops.
- Djerassi 2017 YA Novel Writing Workshop: June 19–24, 2017. Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA.
- SCBWI 46th Annual Summer Conference: July 7–10, 2017. JW Marriott at LA LIVE, Los Angeles, CA. Conference faculty. Workshop leader of two Monday intensives.
- Highlights Foundation Books with Bite Workshop: October 4–8, 2017. The Highlights Foundation, Honesdale, PA. Co-taught with Micol Ostow.
2016
- Djerassi 2016 YA Novel Writing Workshop: March 6–12, 2016. Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA.
- Djerassi YA Novel Alumni Reunion Workshop: March 17–23, 2016. Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA.
- Highlights Foundation Books with Bite Workshop: October 19–23, 2016. The Highlights Foundation, Honesdale, PA. Co-taught with Micol Ostow.
2015
- Djerassi 2015 YA Novel Writing Workshop: June 21–26, 2015, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA.
- Columbia University Young Adult Novel Writing Workshop: July 6–August 12, 2015. Columbia University, School of the Arts Writing Program, New York, NY.
- Highlights Foundation Books with Bite Workshop: September 16–20, 2015, The Highlights Foundation, Honesdale, PA. Co-taught with Micol Ostow.
- A Week in Residency with Nova Ren Suma Workshop: November 8–14, 2015, the Writing Barn, Austin, TX.
2014
- Djerassi Writes: YA Novel Workshop: Feb. 9–14, 2014, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA.
- Djerassi Writes: YA Novel Workshop (second session): June 22–27, Djerassi Resident Artists Program, Woodside, CA.
- The Craft of Creativity: The Inaugural Showcase Featuring the Master Class Room Instructors: Sept. 8, The Writers Room, New York, NY.
- Highlights Whole Novel Workshop with Sarah Aronson and Nancy Werlin: Sept. 10–11, Highlights Foundation, Honesdale, PA. Special guest author.
Photo credit: Top photo by Patrick McManaman on Unsplash