What is it about a first line that makes someone want to read on?  After all, there are LOTS of stories out there waiting for readers to read them, so for every story that you write you're going to want an opening line that really draws a reader in.  In this class, we're going to uncover nine strategies that underlie powerful opening lines and use what we've learned to start a piece of new writing.

REGISTER HERE ($20). FREE for Paragraph Members. Become a Member then RSVP.

Myla Goldberg's new novel, Feast Your Eyes, has been named a finalist for the National Book Critics' Circle Award and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. She is also the bestselling author of The False Friend, Wickett’s Remedy, and Bee Season, which was a New York Times Notable Book, winner of the Borders New Voices Prize, a finalist for the Hemingway Foundation/PEN award, and adapted to film and widely translated.

This craft talk will look into how through language, vivid, specific descriptions and voice, we can develop flash that is true to ourselves and our communities while also writing about subjects that matter to us and need to be amplified. Come prepared to read outstanding flash by writers of color and for in-class exercises that will help you develop a powerful beginning and end of a piece of flash or micro-fiction. 

REGISTER HERE ($20). or FREE for first 10 black writers (RSVP) & Paragraph Members (become a member then RSVP)

María Alejandra Barrios is a pushcart nominated writer born in Barranquilla, Colombia. She has lived in Bogotá and Manchester where in 2016 she completed a Masters degree in Creative Writing from The University of Manchester. She was selected for the Immigrant Artist Mentoring Program: Performing & Literary Arts for the city of New York in 2018. Her stories have been published in Hobart Pulp, Reservoir Journal, Bandit Fiction, Cosmonauts Avenue, Jellyfish Review,  Lost Balloon, Shenadoah Literary, Vol.1 Brooklyn and El Malpensante. Her poetry has been published in The Acentos Review. Her work has been supported by organizations like Vermont Studio Center, Caldera Arts Center and the New Orleans Writing Residency. She is the 2020 SmokeLong Flash Fiction fellow.

Cut the crap, trim the fat, kill your darlings. The prevailing logic of revision emphasizes reduction. But what if paring back isn't the answer? In this hybrid craft talk / workshop, we'll look closely at how some writers use radical revision. Please bring a tricky paragraph or two from your work, so we can put what we've learned to the test!

REGISTER HERE ($20). FREE for Paragraph Members. Become a Member then RSVP. NOTE: Proceeds from this craft talk will be donated to City Harvest, a very worthwhile cause for a city in need. (Paragraph will donate for any member who attends.)

Ben Purkert is the author of FOR THE LOVE OF ENDINGS, one of Adroit’s Best Poetry Books of 2018. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in The New Yorker, Poetry, Ploughshares, Kenyon Review, The Believer Online, Tin House Online, and elsewhere. He holds degrees from Harvard and NYU, where he was a New York Times Fellow. He is the editor of Back Draft for Guernica, an interview series focused on revision and the creative process. He also teaches at Rutgers while working as a freelance writer for branding agencies. He's at work on a novel about the branding of masculinity and the search for the authentic self. Most days, you can find him on Twitter.

In the 21st century, so many of us occupy multiple allegiances and identifications when it comes to culture, ethnicity, sexuality and interests. In this craft talk, we'll learn how to explore our often intersecting and overlapping qualities through writing, and create multi-faceted narrators that reflect the various selves we embody.

Proceeds donated to Survived and Punished to end the criminalization of survival violence.

REGISTER HERE ($20). FREE for Paragraph Members. Become a Member then RSVP.

Zaina Arafat is a Palestinian-American writer, teacher and editor. Her stories and essays have appeared in publications including The New York Times, Granta, The Believer, Virginia Quarterly Review, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, The Christian Science Monitor, BuzzFeed, VICE, and NPR. Her debut novel, YOU EXIST TOO MUCH, has been selected as a most anticipated book for June 2020 by O, The Oprah Magazine, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, The Millions, Literary Hub, them and Electric Literature, and was chosen by the American Booksellers Association as an Indie Next Pick. She is also at work on a collection of essays. In recognition of her work, she was awarded the Arab Women/Migrants from the Middle East fellowship at Jack Jones Literary Arts. She holds an M.A. in international affairs from Columbia University and an M.F.A. from Iowa. 

This five-week personal essay course is half-process/craft talks, half workshop. Each week we'll talk about subjects like titles, pitching, and dealing with the aftermath of publishing, and read one other's work, forming a thoughtful, supportive and helpful community. Over the course of the workshop, you'll share a completed essay and give feedback to classmates, and get feedback from me. (8 students max)

FIVE SESSIONS: June 5 - July 3
$175 ($125 for Paragraph Members) REGISTER: Email lisa@lisaselindavis.com 

Lisa Selin Davis has published essays, op-eds and articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time and many other publications. Her non-fiction book, TOMBOY: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to Be Different, will be published in August.

How does a screenwriter or writer/director shape the future? What is the role of the artist in this moment, and in all the moments to come?

In this weekly hourlong 4-week workshop, participants will wrestle with these questions; find inspiration in short films, features, academic writing, online lectures, and art in many forms; examine the white savior narrative, the male gaze, and poverty porn; and WRITE.

There will be an optional 2-4 hours of homework per week, which will include individualized assignments tailored to support each participant’s needs. Beginners, Oscar-winners, and everyone else is welcome. The instructor has experience supporting workshoppers of all levels within one course.

Registration includes four consecutive weekly hourlong workshops on Zoom as well as two 13-minute one-on-one meetings with the instructor outside of class via Zoom.

FOUR SESSIONS

COST: [Pay What Your Will]

SIGN UP ON EVENTBRITE

Instructor Bio: Deb Shoval’s films have premiered at the Sundance and Tribeca film festivals. Her feature film AWOL, starring Lola Kirke and Breeda Wool, is currently available on Hulu, iTunes, Amazon and GooglePlay in the US, and in 66 countries worldwide. She has taught at City College of New York, Montclair State University, Brooklyn College, Hampshire College, and NYU. Shoval has an MFA in Film from Columbia University and a BA is Sustainable Agriculture. She has a decades-long interest in organic farming and food justice and is on the board of Next Barn Over Farm in Hadley, MA. Shoval collaborates with Black Lives Matter in the Schools NYC, Jewish Voice for Peace, Workers Circle and the White Noise Collective.

This session will help you leverage the affordances of the online space to plan and host online gatherings that deeply engage participants. Whether you plan to host meetings, lead discussions, or teach small classes, this workshop will focus your goals. We'll do activities that help you prepare with purpose and create an online space where everyone can participate, listen, and learn. In this interactive session, we will also discuss strategies for managing a group online in an equitable, participatory, and dynamic way. No one will ever check their email during your Zoom meeting again!

Suggested donation: $20, pay what you wish. All funds from this workshop will be donated to Paragraph! Venmo Jessica-Hochman-5 or Paypal  Jessica.L.Hochman@gmail.com 

REGISTER HERE. (required)

Jessica Hochman, PhD, specializes in helping individuals, groups, and organizations have the conversations they'd prefer not to have, particularly on topics related to literacy, cultural competence, and technology use. She has 20 years of experience as a teacher, professor, researcher and consultant. She has taught courses on pedagogy, literacy, and instructional technology at Pratt Institute’s iSchool, Syracuse University iSchool, and Teachers College, Columbia University. She consults with educational organizations including the New York City Department of Education, New Visions for Public Schools, and The Open Center. Jessica helps individuals, schools, libraries, and organizations use culturally responsive practices to build stronger, more equitable communities. 

Don't let the pandemic flatten your writing curve! If you've got an internet connection, Myla has a workshop for you. Never used Zoom before? Don't worry. Myla will provide each student with Zoom tutorials, as well as clear instructions on how to provide and share digital feedback and notes.

Designed for writers looking to receive constructive and specific feedback within a supportive and engaged community of their peers, participants range in age from twenty-somethings to sixty-somethings, and represent various writing levels and interests, from flash fiction to the novel.

The class will meet weekly through Zoom, where everyone will present work once, with additional time to discuss published stories from the perspective of craft, a model based on the workshops Myla has led over 10 years of teaching at the MFA programs of Brooklyn College, NYU, and Sarah Lawrence.

The workshop is open to 8 students. Myla is accepting applications (10-15 double-spaced pages of prose, please) through April 25th on a first-come, first-served basis. This means an application received on April 2 will be prioritized above one of equal caliber received on April 15.

FOUR SESSIONS: May 5 - May 26

$350 ($280 for members)
Register: goldberg.myla@gmail.com

Myla Goldberg's new novel, Feast Your Eyes, has been named a finalist for the National Book Critics' Circle Award and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. She is also the bestselling author of The False Friend, Wickett’s Remedy, and Bee Season, which was a New York Times Notable Book, winner of the Borders New Voices Prize, a finalist for the Hemingway Foundation/PEN award, and adapted to film and widely translated.

Whether you have a lot more time on your hands, or suddenly have almost no time at all, chances are you have a lot of feelings about your situation, some strong opinions, and an intense desire to translate what's going on in your heart and brain to the written page. In this five-week workshop, we'll work on crafting personal essays and op-eds, from first sentences to shaping narratives; crafting pitches; finding outlets; and dealing with your feelings if you slather your secrets all over the internet. You may come with an already drafted essay, but we'll also work on generating ideas. Come prepared to share and give feedback on other writers' work. (8 students max)

Instructor: Lisa Selin Davis has published essays, op-eds and articles for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Time and many other publications. Her non-fiction book, TOMBOY: The Surprising History and Future of Girls Who Dare to Be Different, will be published in August.

FIVE SESSIONS: May 1 - June 5
$150 ($100 for Paragraph members)REGISTER: Email lisa@lisaselindavis.com