Writing for Publication is a five-week class to teach anyone how to get published, online and in print. Led by Jeff Baker, the Sunday A&E editor and book editor at The Oregonian, the approach is hand’s on — you’ll learn how to write essays, reviews, blog posts and nonfiction articles — and the focus is on what’s happening in Oregon in 2013. You’ll write every week and received a detailed critique of your work. Guest speakers include Karen Karbo (June 24), the author of three novels, a children’s books series, and biographies of Katharine Hepburn, Georgia O’Keeffe, Coco Chanel and Julia Child; and Brian Lindstrom (July 15), whose documentary films include “Alien Boy” and “Finding Normal.”  No class on July 1.

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Many of our best, most faithful teachers are already waiting for us on the bookshelf, in a literary journal, or on a tattered photocopy. Often our strength and flexibility as poets springs from our reading and exposure to fresh, compelling poems. This workshop leverages rich, contemporary poems, to make the connection, or capture the lightning, that so often flashes from a model poem to our own poetic play. Beginning with exploratory reading and discussion and moving to generative exercises, we will explore different techniques, dimensionality, and strategies to build our own poetic skeletal structure. Open to any writers devoted to thoughtful inquiry and an engaging, supportive workshop.

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From Nora Ephron's musings on growing older to Cristopher Hitchens' polemics on religion, personal essays are a wonderful way for writers to make sense of their lives and experiences. No matter who we are or where we come from, we all have unique life experiences to share with the world. You don’t necessarily need to have had grand adventures to write an essay—material for personal essays can come from anywhere. It’s how you frame your experiences – and how you articulate them –your original voice, that readers will connect with. These days, it’s easier than ever to share your experiences with the world. But don’t let the accessibility of blogging and social media deceive you. There is an art to writing a compelling personal essay. It’s not a stream of consciousness memory or a glorified journal entry; it’s a personal experience thoughtfully structured and carefully crafted into a powerful story, which you share with the world. In this class we will explore how to do just that by writing, reading and workshopping. We will also discuss markets for publishing student's work.

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An exploration of self, source, and the joy of creativity. This class will integrate yoga, somatics, and dance with writing drills and storycraft technique, with the goal of finding and tapping into the deeper, more authentic writer in you. We will challenge stereotypes and blast away blocks through laughter, movement, daily practice, and peer critique. Writers of all genres and levels of experience will benefit from this embodied approach to finding motivation, clarity and purpose as a writer. Bring a yoga mat or blanket, a notebook or laptop, and wear soft, loose-fitting clothes. Class meets on Saturday afternoons—yes, we will go outside!

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"William Carlos Williams said, "A poem is a small (or large) machine made of words."  A love of words is likely what drew you to poetry in the first place. In this workshop we'll take words as both subject and inspiration, exploring the possibilities of single words as well as more broadly discussing tone and diction. We'll do in-class workshopping and discussion, and a whole variety of generative exercises using words as our creative springboard. We'll talk about personal favorite words and words with social/cultural significance, explore the verbing of nouns and other instances of "messing with language," take a look at the effect of generic versus specific terms, investigate some etymology, and more.

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This workshop will be about capturing place. Every narrative has a setting - but how does the writer takes us there? What are the details and stories that define a destination? We’ll study narrative nonfiction techniques to help us evoke a strong, dynamic sense of place. Whether you’re writing about travels in Tanzania or in your own back yard, the same rules apply: how to find a character, how to move through a scene, and how to take your reader along for the ride. Wwe’ll workshop our own scenes as well as read examples from established writers. Students are welcome to bring pieces they’re already working on or start fresh. Armchair travelers and seasoned globe-trotters both welcome.

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Are you interested in writing memoir or personal essay? Literary journalism or travelogue? In this workshop, you'll learn to craft these and other styles of creative nonfiction. We'll (respectfully) pillage the works of contemporary writers and discuss form and voice, scene and structure, as we explore how to apply literary technique to real-life narratives. You'll have the chance to try your hand at a wide range of creative nonfiction, and you'll get in-depth feedback on your work in progress. A mix of discussion, guided exercises and peer critique, this workshop will invigorate your writing. Open to writers of all levels.

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Do you have a compelling story to tell? Have you dreamed up characters that you want to write more about? Do you need help with plot? With story structure? With character development? Whether you have great ideas for short stories that you haven’t yet written, or drafts that don’t feel quite finished, this in-depth fiction workshop is for you. Carter Sickels will introduce you to the crucial components of good storytelling, help you develop your craft, and give you useful feedback on your work. Come ready to write. You’ll workshop your short fiction in a supportive, inspiring environment. This is a great opportunity to improve your writing and to learn more about the way fiction works. Open to all levels of writers.

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How can economy be used to a writer’s advantage? This workshop explores the art of flash fiction: how to propel a story forward with as few words as possible. Writers will create a series of pieces with the help of in-workshop exercises, at-home assignments, and assigned readings. Supportive workshop critique and revision will be a strong part of the process. Focus will be on radically imaginative explorations of form, plot, point of view, language and dialogue as a quick means to a fast “The End."

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This class is for the writer who has a memoir in mind and the goal to finish a full length, sellable manuscript. Up to the point of taking this class, you are likely in an organic/intuitive place as a writer and find yourself overwhelmed by the sheer volume of material from your own life. How do you whittle it down to an interesting and compelling memoir? How do you establish a structure? What are your themes?  What do you do when you can't remember a lot of details? How can you make your writing more cinematic and engaging for the reader? What about revealing secrets about other people? What are the rules for memoir? This is an in-depth and intensive memoir writing class for all levels of writer. You can be a beginner, you can be advanced. Everyone walks away with ideas, handouts, examples and edited pages. You will be inspired and enlightened in this class. And yes, your work will be workshopped at least twice. So get ready. This class will change the way you think. It's an ongoing workshop with some veteran writers and we have room for new blood too. Join in. This class will change the way you write!

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Senior Fellow Merridawn Duckler leads this special workshop in creative non-fiction. Learn to write personal essays, memoir, travelogue, and lyric journalism using the traditional and experimental storytelling techniques of fiction. We’ll analyze creative nonfiction by contemporary authors, while discussing your work in progress. During  this in-depth workshop, your literary nonfiction will be transformed into art which is both intimate and universal in its appeal.

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The Hawthorne Fellows is a five-month program for writers to focus on establishing your writing goals and publishing regularly. It's part seminar, part editorial team, and part literary assembly line. Leading the Hawthorne Fellows is New York Times best-selling author Jennifer Lauck whose experience with writing, agents, and publishing is extensive.

Fellows meet twice a month for five months — and share work through e-mail with other fellows regularly — as a means to refine individual pieces. Some meetings are specifically designed to include literary professionals -- agents, publicists, and editors. The goal of the Fellows Editorial Meeting is to help writers make final decisions to prepare their work for publication. Fellows also publish regularly in The Boulevard, the online magazine of the Hawthorne Fellows.

Acceptance as a Hawthorne Fellow is a major confirmation of your ambition and focus as a working writer. In considering you for acceptance into the Hawthorne Fellows program, we consider the needs of writers for time and attention beyond the short traditional workshop. Hawthorne Fellows are committed to sharing their knowledge and writing and are focused on helping each other make the best decisions before readying pieces for publication.

Application Period and Deadlines
Writers may apply anytime for the upcoming fellowship period. To apply, please e-mail up to 25 pages of writing plus a written statement about your writing and publishing goals during your Hawthorne Fellow period. New, current, and past fellows are welcome to apply. Ideal for writers looking to take the step toward publication and publishing regularly.

"Jennifer Lauck has to be one of the most supportive and encouraging teachers I have ever known! Jennifer shares her strong passion for writing in all of her teachings." ~ Debbie Beasely, Attic student

For October 1 - February 28 fellowship period: Apply by September 25

For April 1 -  August 31 fellowship period: Apply by March 25

Apply to the Hawthorne Fellows