Faculty Q-Z

The Attic Experience

"I just completed my first class at the Attic. The instructor was very knowledgeable, ran a great class, & I honestly feel like I made some big strides."

Charlie Dobson

The Classic Book for Writers, Updated and Revised

EVERY WRITER HAS A THOUSAND FACES

"This book has been in print forever because what it offers works for people." — Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club

"Finally, an anti-bullsht book on creativity!"* — James Marcus, former editor of Harper's

"Does for the creative process what Strunk and White did for our approach to grammar and style. Indispensible." — Marjorie Sandor, National Jewish Book Award winner

"Buoyant...unorthodox...A provocative and anti-intuitive manual for making fresh art." — Kirkus Review

"Biespiel offers a number of best practices—not just for writing...but for living a creative life." — The Rumpus

The Attic Institute of Arts and Letters Named One of 13 Amazing Writing Centers in the United States

Friends of the Attic Institute

Clinton Street Theater

The most literary theater in Portland

The Drawing Studio

Demystifying drawing since 1990

Literary Arts

Find Your Story Here

Oregon State University MFA Program

Study the Craft of Writing

Join Our Mailing List

Keep your writing life in order. Sign up now for free announcements of resources for your writing, plus practical tips about workshops and events.

Take a Workshop

APPS DUE SEP 1: Poets Studio 2021-2022

APPS DUE: SEP 12: Creative Nonfiction (CNF) Studio | Sep 23 - Dec 16

FREE: Consult about Your Writing

SUMMER Online: Summer Belief Workshop w Matthew Dickman | July 11 - Aug 29 ONE SPOT REMAINING!

SUMMER Online: So You Wanna Be a Writer Workshop w Wayne Gregory | Aug 18 - Sep 15 SPOTS OPEN FOR NEW WRITERS

FALL Online: The Music of Language for Prose Writers w Joanna Rose | Sep 11 - Oct 9

FALL Online: Introduction to Flash Nonfiction w Brian Benson | Sep 14 - Oct 12

FALL Online: A Writer’s Toolkit: How to Get Started As A Writer Workshop w Wayne Gregory | Sep 23 - Oct 21

FALL Online: Art of Personal Essay and Memoir w Lee Montgomery | Sep 25 - Nov 27

FALL Online: Monthly Poetry Gathering and Workshop w John Morrison | Sep 25 - Jan 15

Faculty

David Biespiel

Merridawn Duckler

Matthew Dickman

Carol Hendrickson

Wendy Willis

Whitney Otto

Wayne Gregory

Emily Whitman

Brian Benson

Paige Thomas

Edward Derby

Ashley Toliver

Lee Montgomery

Joanna Rose

Philip Kenney

Zahir Janmohamed

Elinam Agbo

Thea Chacamaty

Ava Cozzetto

Ruben Quesada

A Statement of Our Values

The Attic Institute of Arts and Letters opposes the legitimation of bigotry, hate, and misinformation in today's cultural and political environment. As a studio for writers, we do not tolerate harassment or discrimination of any kind. We condemn all acts of racism, sexism, ableism, classism, xenophobia, homophobia, transphobia, and Islamophobia. We embrace and celebrate our shared pursuit of literature and language as essential to crossing the boundaries of difference. To that end, we seek to maintain a creative environment in which every employee, faculty member, and student feels safe, respected, and comfortable. We accept the workshop as a place to question ourselves and to empathize with diverse identities. We understand that to know the world is to write a better world. Therefore, we reaffirm our commitment to literary pursuits and shared understanding by affirming social justice, diversity, and open inquiry.