New York State Writers Institute Offering Free Workshops with Rebecca Wolff and Lydia Davis

The New York State Writers Institute is offering the following free workshops led by Rebecca Wolff and Lydia Davis. The noncredit workshops are open, on a competitive basis to the community-at-large, as well as to members of the University community.

Mixed-genre or Hybrid Writing Workshop
offered by Writer-in-Residence Rebecca Wolff

New York State Writers Institute Writer-in-Residence Rebecca Wolff will conduct a workshop in mixed-genre, or hybrid writing during the fall 2008 semester. Too often we find ourselves distracted from the real work of creative expression by over-concentration on definitions of form and style. Is it a prose poem or a very short story? A poem or an interview? A memoir or a novel-in-verse? Journalism or creative nonfiction or could we call it simple “prose”? In this workshop participants will view texts with generous eyes that see more similarity than difference. Participants are encouraged to bring in projects that have already begun, as well as to develop new ideas within the context of the group.

The workshop is scheduled for eight Monday nights (October 20, 27, November 3, 17, 24, December 1, 8, 15) from 6 to 9 p.m. The class will take place on the University at Albany’s uptown campus. The workshop is offered free of charge for non-credit, and will be limited to ten writers. To be considered, submit manuscripts to the Writers Institute according to the guidelines listed at the link below. Due to the volume of manuscripts received from previous workshops, we must insist that you follow the guidelines exactly.

Fiction Master Class Workshop
offered by MacArthur Fellow Lydia Davis

New York State Writers Institute Distinguished Writer-in-Residence and MacArthur Fellow Lydia Davis will conduct a Fiction Master Class Workshop during the fall 2008 semester. The workshop is intended for advanced writers —writers who have at least one publication in a literary journal. It will be an intensive five-session workshop.

The Fiction Master Class Workshop is scheduled for Tuesday evenings (November 4, 11, 18, 25, December 2) from 6 to 9 p.m. Classes will be held on the University at Albany’s uptown campus. The workshop is offered free of charge for no credit, and will be limited to ten writers, made up of both non-University writers and a few UAlbany students who are enrolled in the English Department’s Masters or Doctoral programs. This workshop is not open to students who have taken it previously.

For application guidelines, click here.

Thanks to Bess for the forwarding the info. I won't be able to attend the workshops myself, but they seem like wonderful opportunities for somebodies.