Where do we find guidance when all around us fails, calling into question our intuitions? The answer: Spirit. Yes, this will be a woo woo ass workshop. We will engage in the act of noticing, beckoning the revelatory into our writing. We will access divinatory methods to encounter not only the energy of the written word but the energy of our dead as well. We will study the writings of Black authors—such as Lucille Clifton, Sonia Sanchez, M. NourbeSe Philip, &c. &c—who have engaged occult practice in their work & create practices of our own to get in touch with our guides. In short, we will practice the art of listening.
Upcoming Classes and Workshops
What are you waiting for?
There's no time like the present. The Piper Writers Studio offers numerous creative writing classes and workshops throughout the year, with flexible times and schedules that make them easy to fit alongside jobs, families, or other responsibilites. All classes are not for-credit, and are intended for and open to the public. You do not need to be an ASU student or affiliate to attend. Writers of all backgrounds, genres, and experience levels are welcome to attend.
To find an upcoming class, select a class from the list below or use the menu to the side. You can also meet current instructors, view past classes, or learn more about the Piper Writers Studio.
For other events and programs, you can learn about our annual Desert Nights, Rising Stars Writers Conference or find talks and readings.
Find Upcoming Classes and Workshops
Juju Poetics
J Allen
Date: Saturdays, March 6-20, 2021, 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Phoenix MST
Type: Craft Class
Genre: Poetry
Register for this Class
Type: Craft Class
Genre: Poetry
From First Draft to Final Cut
María Isabel Álvarez
Date: Monday, March 15, 2021, 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Phoenix MST
Type: Craft Class, Generative Workshop, Workshop
Genre: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Flash, Mixed Genre, Poetry, Short Stories
Register for this Class
Type: Craft Class, Generative Workshop, Workshop
Genre: Creative Nonfiction, Fiction, Flash, Mixed Genre, Poetry, Short Stories
In this class, we’ll use tried and true tools to help improve your chances of receiving acceptance by examining first lines, ending images, and striking language by some of today’s most imaginative writers. Whether you’re a poet or prose writer, this course is designed to help you hook readers and hold their attention.
Community and the Ethics of Collaboration
Layli Long Soldier
Date: Saturday, March 27, 2021, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Phoenix MST
Type: Craft Talk, Generative Workshop, Workshop
Genre: Collaborations, Community, Mixed Genre
Type: Craft Talk, Generative Workshop, Workshop
Genre: Collaborations, Community, Mixed Genre
Join acclaimed poet Layli Long Soldier for an artist talk and generative workshop on collaboration and community.
Crafting a Believable World
Hafsah Faizal
Date: Wednesday, March 31, 2021, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Phoenix MST
Type: Craft Class
Genre: Fiction
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Type: Craft Class
Genre: Fiction
Whether you're writing epic fantasy or small-town contemporary, a strong world is crucial. Join Hafsah Faizal, the New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of We Hunt the Flame, as she leads a workshop on how to craft a believable world in today's competitive, commercial market: constructing the foundations of government and geography, cultures and traditions—you'll learn everything that makes a real world tick, all while remaining grounded in your narrator's shoes, resulting in a beautiful world your readers will want to get lost in, time and time again.
Voice, Time and Otherness in Fiction
Venita Blackburn
Date: Saturday, April 10, 2021, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Phoenix MST
Type: Craft Class
Genre: Fiction
Register for this Class
Type: Craft Class
Genre: Fiction
The sacred yet rarely spoken covenant between author and audience states that prose should be both entertaining and educational. What happens when the lesson taught is woefully inaccurate? How do we judge accuracy in fiction when approaching characters with experiences wildly different than our own from nationality to sexuality to political alignment to gender to age to race? This will be a class on choices, audience, research, point of view, humility, compassion and empathy.
Date: Saturdays, April 17 - 24, 2021, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Phoenix MST
Type: Craft Class
Genre: Marketing, Publishing, Writing Process
Register for this Class
Type: Craft Class
Genre: Marketing, Publishing, Writing Process
In this course, writers will learn the basics of creating accessible content that is inclusive of disabled readers, allowing them to reach an even larger audience. From social media and author media kits to blog posts and site design, we will cover user-friendly topics that ensure no one is excluded from enjoying your work.
Break a Vase: Gathering the Pieces
María Fernanda
Date: Saturdays, April 24 - May 1, 2021, 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Phoenix MST
Type: Craft Class, Generative Workshop
Genre: Essays, Fiction, Poetry, Writing Process
Register for this Class
Type: Craft Class, Generative Workshop
Genre: Essays, Fiction, Poetry, Writing Process
This workshop disrupts our familiarity with writing toward the story structure of beginning, middle, and end. We will delve into generative writing activities, where participants will be encouraged to explore excerpts of text messages, flyers, email subject lines, overheard conversations, and more. We will look to the classic Japanese genre Zuihitsu, defined by its emulation of a painter’s brushstrokes, as our guide. This style gathers loosely connected personal essays and fragmented ideas on one page.