This workshop is geared toward students who have an interest in creative writing and would like to develop their skills and writing practice across genres. Students read and write free verse poetry, short prose, drama, fiction, and creative nonfiction with the goal of developing a final portfolio of revised work.

Students are introduced to a range of technical and imaginative concerns through creative exercises and discussions, and exposed to all aspects of the writing process, including generating ideas, writing and revising drafts, and editing. Participants practice their literary craft with an attentive group of peers, under the guidance of an experienced instructor. They write extensively, read and respond to excerpts from outstanding works of literature, and participate in candid, helpful critiques of their own work and that of peers. Students are expected to come to the class with an openness to various approaches toward literature and writing. Classes are supplemented by conferences with the instructor.

How does one write characters who are convincingly deceptive? Is writing fiction an act of deception in itself? In this course, we will explore the various shades of lying in literature, investigate why characters who lie are often more interesting than those who don’t, and identify the nuanced, precarious relationship between lying and fiction, parsing the difference between lies intended to deceive versus fictions crafted to articulate an emotional truth. 

Starting our journey with The Odyssey by Homer and moving through texts like The Turn of the Screw by Henry James, Passing by Nella Larsen, and The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith, we will trace the tradition of portraying not only deceptive characters but also the rich emotional charge between the liar and deceived, as well as the change in self-perception and worldview that occurs when one recognizes oneself as someone who can be manipulated. 

Through close readings, class discussions, and writing exercises, students will learn to craft complex characters whose lies shape their identities and relationships. We will explore how deception can serve as a narrative tool to create tension, develop plot, and reveal hidden truths about both the characters and the world they inhabit. Ultimately, this course will offer a deeper understanding of how the art of lying in literature mirrors the human experience, challenging our assumptions about truth, trust, and the boundaries between fiction and reality.

This workshop is geared toward students who have experience in creative writing or who demonstrate unusual talent. Students read and write fiction in all its forms with the goal of developing a final portfolio of work.

Students are introduced to a range of technical and imaginative concerns through creative exercises and discussions, and exposed to all aspects of the writing process, including generating ideas, writing and revising drafts, and editing. Participants practice their literary craft with an attentive group of their peers, under the guidance of an experienced instructor. They write extensively, read and respond to excerpts from outstanding works of literature, and participate in candid, helpful critiques of their own work and that of peers. Students are expected to come to the class with an openness to various approaches toward literature and writing. Classes are supplemented by conferences with the instructor.

This course explores the mindsets and habits that ​have shape​d successful writer​s past and present. Through inspiring reading assignments, practical exercises, and in-depth discussions, students will learn how to cultivate creativity, overcome self-doubt, and develop a critical eye for structure, voice, and narrative across a variety of genres. Students will learn how great writing is made and​ learn the proper tools needed for a rewarding creative life. The course will culminate in a final project consisting of an artist’s statement and selection of polished creative pieces. 

Parallel universes and the supernatural have the power to reveal truths often hidden behind the veil of modern life. Situating oneself in realities other than one’s own imparts lessons in empathy, possibility, and advancement in our real world. From Dune to The Hunger Games, both beloved and feared characters in such fiction have united legions of readers-turned-writers over many continents and generations through the art of world-building. 

The course’s aim is to explore and create immersive, exciting fiction that incorporates the unreal—from surreal short stories to excerpts from epic fantasy novels. In this one-week intensive, students will think and write about the futuristic, uncanny, magical, and speculative, and how these elements mesh with our individual writing goals. 

Students will analyze published works of Science Fiction and Fantasy from a writer’s standpoint, considering: what effect did this have on the reader, and how did the writer create this effect? What draws us to these genres? How can we create work that is compelling, original, artful, and fun? Through discussion and writing exercises, we’ll focus on topics including world-building, hero/villain relationships, plot, magic, and suspense. 

In this course, students will uncover the power of imaginative fiction by reading selections of cornerstone texts in the genre, both past and present, and use the techniques discussed in the pieces to write their own original works. Classes are supplemented by conferences with the instructor.

Parallel universes and the supernatural have the power to reveal truths often hidden behind the veil of modern life. Situating oneself in realities other than one’s own imparts lessons in empathy, possibility, and advancement in our real world. From Dune to IT to The Hunger Games, both beloved and feared characters in such fiction have united legions of readers-turned-writers over many continents and generations through the art of world-building. 

The course’s aim is to explore and create immersive, exciting fiction that incorporates the unreal—from surreal, ghostly short stories to detailed epic fantasy novels. In this three-week dual seminar-workshop, students will think and write about the futuristic, uncanny, magical, and speculative, and how these elements mesh with our individual writing goals. 

Students will analyze published works of Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror from a writer’s standpoint, considering: what effect did this have on the reader, and how did the writer create this effect? What draws us to these genres? How can we create work that is compelling, original, artful, and fun? Through discussion and writing exercises, we’ll focus on topics including world-building, hero/villain relationships, plot, magic, and suspense. 

In this course, students will uncover the power of imaginative fiction by reading selections of cornerstone texts in the genre, both past and present, and use the techniques discussed in the pieces to write their own original works.

This course is designed for advanced students who seek intensive experience in writing and performing comedy. With the guidance of professional New York City performers and writers, they learn how to generate writing through improvisational comedy. Budding comedians and comedy writers learn how to make people laugh both on and off the page, a skill that can take practitioners down a variety of career paths on stage and in film and television. 

Participants hone their comedic sensibilities with a wide variety of exercises and readings and build confidence by learning the art of “Yes, and…” Subject areas include sketch comedy, improvisational comedy, and stand-up. 

This course is designed for advanced students who seek an intensive experience in the writing of fiction. Students explore diverse styles of and approaches to fiction, and learn essential skills for writing their own short prose works, including stories, flash fiction, novellas, and pieces that may be developed, following the session, into novels. Students participate in rigorous daily discussions on craft and workshops, as well as one-on-one conferences with their instructor. 

The course culminates in a final portfolio composed of carefully revised pieces that implement instructor and peer feedback.

This rigorous one-week course is designed to teach students the ins and outs of novel writing, from conception to outlining, to the writing itself. Whether interests lie in literary fiction, young adult, fantasy, or any other genre, students will learn we focus on how to structure and plot a successful novel. Areas of exploration include establishing conflict, world-building, character work, pacing, and how to create an effective scene.

Students share their writing in a workshop setting and receive in-depth feedback from both their peers and the instructor. The course includes asynchronous work, which students are expected to complete between class sessions. Not only does this course impart a greater understanding of what it means to craft a long-form work of fiction, but it will also help students become stronger and more confident in their overall writing skills.

In this intensive course, students are introduced to the key tenets of writing and performing comedy. With the guidance of professional New York City performers and writers, they learn how to generate writing through improvisational comedy. Budding comedians and comedy writers learn how to make people laugh both on and off the page, a skill that can take practitioners down a variety of career paths on stage and in film and television. 

Participants hone their comedic sensibilities with a wide variety of exercises and readings and build confidence by learning the art of “Yes, and…” Areas of exploration include sketch comedy, improvisational comedy, and stand-up. 

This rigorous one-week course is designed to teach students the essential techniques of short story writing by contextualizing the form throughout history—from Edgar Allan Poe to James Baldwin, to contemporary practitioners, including Joy Williams and Jhumpa Lahiri. By encountering the work of renowned authors from a writer’s perspective, students will utilize the 5 key elements of the short story—plot, character, setting, conflict, and theme—to arrive at what is finally a common goal: to make readers feel through original, compelling, and climactic prose. 

Students will share their writing in a workshop setting and receive in-depth feedback from both their peers and the instructor. The course includes asynchronous work, which students are expected to complete between class sessions. Not only does this course impart a greater understanding of what it means to write short stories, but it will also help students become stronger writers through the use of economized and well-crafted language.

This foundational course, adapted from Columbia's MFA in Writing program, serves as a generative exploration of the creative writing process. Students receive instruction in key genres, idea generation, creation and development of drafts, and basic revision and editing skills. 

Through frequent and diverse readings and writing exercises, students hone elements of craft through the development of voice, imagery, characterization, dialogue, rhythm, and narration. Students work in poetry, prose, fiction, and creative nonfiction. Works produced by acclaimed writers, as well as by students in the class, form the basis of discussion in the workshop process.

A range of technical and imaginative concerns will be introduced through exercises and discussions, where students will produce their own writing for the critical analysis of the class. Students will begin to develop the critical skills that will allow them to read like writers and understand, on a technical level, how accomplished creative writing is produced.

What makes a personal essay feel so much bigger than the individual? What is the difference between writing that is merely confessional and writing that captivates, questions, and transforms? How do we tell compelling true stories about ourselves while probing the limits of our knowledge, the gaps in our memories, the stories that we don’t yet know how to tell? Writing a personal essay is not only a process of self-discovery—it is also the work of becoming the person capable of writing the essay.

In this course, we learn to write true stories about ourselves, the cultural artifacts and places we care about, the identities we hold in relation to power, and the ways our experiences change us forever. With the goal of producing up to three compelling personal essays, we explore the process of personal writing, from generating ideas to revising drafts. To become captivating narrators, we practice drafting skills essential to all nonfiction writing, drawing from reporting, research, and our personal archives—be it text messages, photos, or journals—to enhance the emotional specificity and intellectual rigor of our personal narratives.

Part seminar and part workshop, this course introduces students to the genre of personal nonfiction and the practice of critiquing writing as a group. Through close examination of their own experiences and engagement with model texts, students develop storytelling skills that will transfer to their future writing in any genre.

Dive into the world of contemporary songwriting, poetry, and prose through the lens of one of the most influential musicians of our time—Taylor Swift. The Taylor Swift Effect explores the intersection of pop music, literary craft, and personal storytelling, unpacking how Swift’s lyrics have evolved from country-inspired ballads to complex, poetic narratives that resonate with millions.

Whether you are a longtime Swiftie or a newcomer to her music, this course invites you to explore the power of words in both pop culture and literature, uncovering the ​craft elements at play behind one of the most successful and innovative songwriters of the 21st century. ​Students will also learn the literary heavyweights that have inspired Swift's artistry, from Shakespeare to Patti Smith. ​This course is perfect for ​students interested in creative writing and pop culture studies.