Classes and events take place at The Word Studio, 86 Bethlehem Pike, 2nd floor, Philadelphia, PA 19118 unless otherwise noted.

To enroll or ask questions, please write to janet.thewordstudio@gmail.com. See payment policy at bottom of page.

WRITING THE PERSONAL ESSAY with ILENE RAYMOND RUSH

Grab a pencil and join in as we dissect the popular "Lives" and "Modern Love" features in the New York Times, paying close attention to how a successful personal essay is crafted. We'll examine how to shape an essay, how to apply fictional techniques to capture real-life experiences, and how to use memoir as a window to larger meaning. Once your essay is complete, we'll explore markets and how and where to get it in print and online. Class is limited to seven.

Dates: Five Mondays, 7 to 9 p.m., from June 3 to July 1. Fee: $250.

Ilene Raymond Rush is a graduate of Brandeis University and the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She has taught creative writing and more at the University of Iowa, Penn State, and Temple University. Her essays, fiction, and journalism have appeared in national magazines and newspapers, including Redbook, Ladies' Home Journal, Cosmopolitan, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Washington Post. She has won prizes for her writing, including an O'Henry Prize for fiction, and is currently at work on a memoir and a novel. Four of her personal essays have been published in top markets in the past several months.

 UPCOMING WORKSHOPS: Our next full roster of workshops will begin in the fall and may include a one-day platform-building class with Miriam Peskowitz, a one-day class with a lawyer on how to read and respond to book contracts in a variety of publishing settings, Ilene's article-writing class, and one of the classes below.

MORNING JUMP-START with JANET BENTON

"I want to write more, but I just can't find the time." Sound familiar? Both aspiring and professional writers struggle to make room for writing. This workshop gives you two hours for writing and works better than caffeine to jump-start your efforts! It offers a lively discussion of aspects of craft, along with imaginative prompts to help you generate new material that you can plug directly into current projects or expand into something new. We'll write, share work as desired, and discusss writing in a warm, inspiring atmosphere. All levels and genres welcome. Maximum enrollment is five. Five mornings, dates tbd, $250. Snacks provided.

 THE WRITING INTENSIVE with JANET BENTON Now in its 15th year!

Do you want to experience a supportive, engaging community of writers? This private workshop provides structure, detailed feedback, concrete guidance on craft and process, and effective deadlines to enable you to make real progress in you writing. Of seven published area novelists profiled in a 2010 Inquirer article, two spent years in this workshop. At each meeting, we critique the work of two writers; the instructor also leads a discussion of techniques relevant to those works and offers writing prompts to sharpen skills and awareness. In addition, each submission receives a written critique by the instructor and written comments from members. Each writer can submit up to 20 pages of a novel, short story, or work of creative nonfiction (such as memoir) twice. The workshop meets every other week for a total of eight sessions and is limited to five members. Admission is based on an emailed 10-page writing sample and a phone conversation with the instructor. Refreshments provided.

For inquiries, please email janet.thewordstudio@gmail.com

PAYMENT POLICY: Each person's enrollment affects whether or not a workshop runs. A commitment to take a workshop indicates a commitment to paying fees in full. Fees are nonrefundable except in the case of a medical emergency on the part of the enrollee or close family member.