In-Person Creative Writing Salon: Writing Through Uncertain Times, Washington DC
Times of transition, grief, or struggle can feel like moments to bury your head in the sand and numb out. But what if we treated this uncertain moment in life as creative grist? Washington DC is tough right now with mass layoffs and an authoritarian specter weighing on all of us, but the intelligence, creativity, and historic ingenuity of our city are steadfast. Like so many before us, let’s shape that tension into creative energy. Join me for five evenings in my Kalorama apartment, which I’ve lovingly styled in the Gertrude Stein tradition. This salon-style creative writing class, modeled after the many that I’ve taken and led, that will help you harness your inner creativity and create a written work that is uniquely you. You’ll be part of a supportive writing community and eat delicious food. More details below, and here’s a Google form where you can submit an application.
Feeling stuck in a creative rut? Emily’s beautiful, art-filled apartment is the perfect place to get re-inspired. Over delicious, homemade food and a thoughtful selection of readings from a variety of genres, I met great people and had deep conversations about topics other than politics for a change. I recommend Emily’s salon to anyone looking for a creative outlet and a delightful change of pace.
-Lindsay
What We’ll Do Classes are two hours and held weekly – snacks provided! – and will include (over the course of six weeks):
- Short real-time writing exercises based on prompts to get you going. (It’s okay to be nervous! I have all sorts of tricks for anyone who’s stuck.)
- Discussion of short stories, essays, and poems, including ones that were written during times of transition in the artist’s life, or in which the character’s hard times are used to craft a vivid narrative
- Deep-dive craft lessons on the “how” of creative writing, from ways to structure a story or essay or what it means to write with vulnerability and “literary truth”
- A supportive creative community for sharing our work with one another
- Feedback on your work from a trained writer (me!)
Who You Are
Perhaps you’re seeking a creative outlet to help you process the present. Maybe you’re already a writer with a solid practice but you’d like a little structure and to be part of a community. Or perhaps you’ve always had a hankering to write creatively but haven’t found a way in. No experience is necessary for this course so long as you have the desire and can commit to showing up to the majority of the sessions. We’ll jump between fiction, poetry, and personal memoir, so you needn’t have a plan or an active project (but it’s fine if you do).
Structure and Cost
The in-person course is $550, which includes six two-hour in-person classes and lots of hearty snacks and beverages (seriously, come with an appetite). The class will be held in my spacious and Metro-accessible apartment in NW Washington DC. Any one group won’t exceed 12 people to keep the setting intimate.
Interested?
I’d love to hear from you! You can reach me with the form below or I encourage you to fill out this Google form which comes to me directly. I ask for serious applicants only, but there’s no commitment until you pay for the course after acceptance.
My Background
I have a Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing from New York University’s Paris Writer’s Program and a lifelong passion for bringing people together and getting them to speak (and write!) with clarity and honesty.
In the course of the twelve years I spent living and traveling around the world as part of the Foreign Service, I hosted writing salons like this one on an informal basis, often with people from wildly different backgrounds and comfort levels. Never once did I have someone leave without original words they felt good about. Try me!
In my own work, I’m currently revising my divorce memoir and have maintained a longtime blog, The Next Dinner Party. Outside of writing, I’m an avid dinner party host, cocktail enthusiast, hiker, art lover, and professional interior designer.
