The Book Year Writers’ Circle runs from January-December and is open to narrative writers in any genre, welcoming early-stage books as well as mostly-drafted books that need a boost to reach their ideal versions. We frame our books in the spring, expand the books into solid drafts by summer’s end, revise the books throughout autumn, and finish in winter by meeting with publishing professionals to learn to connect our books to the world. We meet most weeks throughout the year, using free-writes, discussion, book-building exercises, and critical reading to start, create, and finish deliberately written books. You will emerge from this experience with a finished or substantially drafted book; a dedicated writing practice; a set of sturdy craft tools; a revision system tailored to your strengths; mastery of an effective method for giving feedback; confidence in the business side of being an author; and a big-hearted community of fellow writers. This writing community caps at 15 writers and is held on zoom.
If you are interested or would like more details, please contact me.
Book Year alums say:
“Book Year is an invaluable gift you give yourself. It provides the space and support you need to develop and write the book that you’ve never managed to get out of your head and onto paper. Elisabeth is the kindest, most invested teacher you will ever come across.“
“It’s impressive that someone can make a year long workshop stay interesting and educational. Elisabeth has the style, knowledge, and resources to bring something new to class every time.”
“Book Year provides the structure, the community, and the support for writers who finally decide to sit down and focus on the book they have been wanting to write. The feedback and encouragement from fellow writers will open a new writing world for those who take the plunge.”
Writing retreats
A writing retreat, whether 2 nights or longer, is a superb way for a writer to “live in a book” for a short period of time, making deep progress. Several times a year I teach as faculty at a writing retreat, recently including the Writer’s Camp in Todos Santos, Mexico and Infinite Blue Writers Retreat in Paleros Bay in the Ionian Sea, Greece. All of my retreats welcome writers of all experience levels who wish to join a supportive community in retreating from daily life for a few days in order to put writing first. Many writers (myself included) find that the energy and focus from a retreat goes on to nourish a whole year of writing beyond.
2025 retreats will be announced soon.
My method for teaching writing
All of my writing workshops focus on giving positive feedback to new work as well as using thoughtful, supportive techniques to help each piece of writing find its ideal version. I combine writing prompts with discussion of craft in order to help each writer find a strategy for structuring big works of art into small, manageable sections. I teach writers first to understand what they have written; second to determine what in it works; and third to brainstorm innovative solutions for the work of editing.
I teach writing for Harvard Extension School and have since 2012; in 2018 I was awarded their James E. Conway Excellence in Teaching Writing Award. My courses include memoir, novel-writing, and academic writing and can be found here. I also teach poetry and life writing for Oxford University Department for Continuing Education. I have delivered workshops and lectures for the Osher Institute, Idaho Writers Guild, Write the World, and The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, among others. I lead workshops on creativity, focus, and writing for government departments and non-profits, as well as for universities. I welcome inquiries for private or custom-designed workshops or lectures.
Speaking engagements
I serve as a speaker and workshop leader for businesses, organizations, schools, and government departments. My talks are interactive, upbeat, and thought-provoking. I love speaking to enthusiastic, growth-minded audiences, and I enjoy working alongside individuals and organizations to understand their message and their needs, and then distill it in a workshop or lecture. Previous speaking engagements include TEDxBoise, Alumni Network of Harvard Women, Harvardwood Toronto, The Sea of Culture Foundation in Abu Dhabi, Trine University, and The Certified Public Manager Program for the State of Idaho. Speaking topics include distilling a personal or organizational purpose; building a group credo; mythic structures for writing our lives; all forms of writing, including personal, business/professional, poetry, editing, publishing. For availabilities and rates, please contact me.