Nonfiction 101 | New York City | Creative Writing Classes in NYC and Online with Professional Writing Instructors

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"I have honestly found every week's lecture to be interesting, with something new and unexpected. I will return to the lectures long after the course has finished. It is just the most fantastic thing to be able to learn from an instructor in New York."

- Margarita Crutchley
Assistant, Photo Library

"The course gave me a wonderful overview of a variety of styles. I learned the difference between a memoir and a personal essay, between feature journalism and hard news, how to profile someone, and how to format news articles."

- Helen Aki
Student

"This is probably the most productive, well-organized class I've ever taken. My intimidations quickly vanished and I really learned."

- Kimberly Haynes-Peterson
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The vast majority of all published writing is nonfiction. Opportunities for the nonfiction writer are everywhere—magazines, newspapers, books, the Internet. And nonfiction has grown more diverse and creative than ever, embracing all styles from straight to zany to poetic, encompassing every topic imaginable from childhood memories to the creation of the universe.

In this six-week survey course, you will gain an introduction to six major forms of nonfiction - memoir, personal essay, features, profiles, reviews, and travel writing. You'll learn what they are and you'll start developing the ideas and skills and confidence to write them.

If you are interested in nonfiction, but don’t know much about it from a writers perspective, Nonfiction 101 is a great place to start. This course also serves as an excellent precursor to other Gotham nonfiction courses.

Select a class: 6-week, One-Day
See also: Nonfiction 101 Online

Level I
Nonfiction 101 | 6-week Workshop

In this six-week course, you will find:

Starter information on six forms of nonfiction - memoir, personal essay, feature articles, profiles, reviews, travel writing
Exercises that let you explore each of these forms
Tips for finding ideas in each form
Feedback from your instructor and fellow students in a completely supportive and no-pressure environment
Development of your power to see story potential in the world around you
Techniques for bringing your nonfiction to life on the page
Exposure to a range of nonfiction writers
Confidence gained through practice and praise
Exposure to a range of nonfiction writers

A safe environment in which to build your nonfiction skills and broaden your nonfiction horizon

Nonfiction 101 is for beginners or anyone who wants a refresher. This is a survey course, designed to introduce you to a variety of nonfiction forms.

View a course syllabus

New York City Classes

Tuition: $295. Registration Fee $25.

Each class strictly limited to 14 students, ages 18 and up.

Starts	Meeting Day	Location	Time	Special	Enroll
Oct 4	Saturdays	555 8th Ave.	2:00PM - 5:00PM
Oct 7	Tuesdays	272 W. 10 St.	7:00PM - 10:00PM	No Class: Oct 21
Oct 7	Tuesdays	555 8th Ave.	10:00AM - 1:00PM

= Daytime Class

Nonfiction 101 \| One-Day in NYC
The One-Day Workshops are fun, fast-paced immersions in a type of writing. You’ll get a mixture of brief lectures that hit the high-points and writing exercises that let you immediately try your hand at what you’ve just learned. The one-days provide an excellent overview of their fields, ideal for both the beginner and someone wanting a quick refresher course. Come in one day on the weekend with a notepad, pen, and desire to learn. By Monday, you’ll be a more knowledgeable and skilled writer. One-Days are for beginners or anyone who wants to brush up on the fundamentals. Topics include: overview of contemporary nonfiction, memoir/essay, features, description, getting published

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