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Pennwriters, Inc.
P.O. Box 957
Somerset, PA 15501
info@Pennwriters.org

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HomeOverview of Courses

Online Classes Overview

A Year's Worth of Classes

All Pennwriters Courses are conducted in a "live" presentation format utilizing the Zoom platform. If a conflict arises based on the required meeting times, please contact the instructor and Online Courses Coordinator to find a possible solution. ALL sessions will be recorded and will be available for students.

Please note that days and times of meetings vary each month. If you have further questions, please contact DJ Stevenson.

All Pennwriters events, including online classes and other meetings are easily found on the website calendar.



July Online Class: From Page to Screen: Crafting Visual Stories
Instructor: Diana Botsford
Class Meeting Dates: July 8, 15, 22, & 29 on Zoom
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
See details below
August Online Class: Long Story Short: The Fundamentals of Crafting a Short Story
Instructor: Derek Tyler Attico
Class Meeting Dates: August 6, 13, 20, & 27 on Zoom
7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
See details below
September Online Class: The Way of All Flash
Instructor: Timons Esaias
Class Meeting Dates: September 2, 9, 16, & 23 on Zoom
7:30 PM to 9:30 PM
See details below


 

Line Up of Classes for 2025


July Online Class: From Page to Screen: Crafting Visual Stories
Instructor: Diana Botsford

Read all the details and register at this link: From Page to Screen: Crafting Visual Stories w/Diana Botsford - 7/8/2025 

Course Details

This intensive 4-week screenwriting course is designed for writers transitioning from prose to screenplays. It focuses on crafting compelling action descriptions, mastering pacing, and developing strong characters within the unique constraints of the screenplay format. Participants will learn to create vivid, cinematic scenes through carefully chosen words and will develop the first act of their screenplay. The course combines on-demand lectures, asynchronous writing exercises, and weekly workshops to provide a comprehensive learning experience.



August Online Class: Long Story Short: The Fundamentals of Crafting a Short Story
Instructor: Derek Tyler Attico

Find all the details here: Long Story Short: The Fundamentals of Crafting a Short Story with Derek Tyler Attico - 8/6/2025

Course Details:

Welcome to Long Story Short: The Fundamentals of Crafting a Short Story! This engaging and comprehensive course is designed for fiction and nonfiction writers alike, whether you're an emerging storyteller or a seasoned author seeking to refine your craft. Through a series of dynamic sessions, you’ll explore the core principles of storytelling, focusing on how to create impactful and memorable short stories.


In four interactive 90-minute sessions, you’ll delve into everything from plot creation and character development to the art of editing and rewriting. By the end of the course, you’ll have the tools to confidently craft compelling narratives and take your storytelling skills to the next level.



September Online Class: The Way of All Flash
Instructor: Timons Esaias

Find all the details here: The Way of All Flash with Timons Esaias - 9/2/2025

Course Details:

Flash fiction is a writer's playground, and a useful training ground. You can experiment with a style, while committing to only a page or two. You can learn, through concentrated effort, what is, and what isn't, story. And as you practice, there are markets waiting for the product. This workshop will define several types of flash fiction and how they are structured, and let you try your hand. More importantly, it will teach you how to define other types, and turn the definitions into action plans. Students will be encouraged to focus on facing their weaknesses: by inventing stories that will exercise those specific, flabby writing muscles. And the instructor will give private critiques of at least three flash pieces.



October Online Class: Sit & Write: Begin
Instructors: Kate Brenton and Claudine Wolk

Read all the details and register at this link: Sit & Write: Begin with Kate Brenton and Claudine Wolk - 10/7/2025 

Course Details

Who is this course for?
Writers who are ready to start writing a book (fiction or non-fiction) that they intend to publish. As well as writers who want to learn the basics of book marketing to begin a successful career as a published author.


What makes the course unique?
Two instructors, who are both published authors and speakers, focus writers on both the writing process and book promotion to launch a successful writing career. Each session focuses on sparking creativity, building confidence, and providing the skills and knowledge needed to go from aspiring wordsmith to accomplished author.


How does this help the aspiring author? Is this a write-my-book course?
This course gives you, the new author, the lay of the land, to travel from concept to completion. This class guides your inspiration into action, creating: a writing intention, a story arc, and destination. We also remove the guesswork of entering the world of publishing, laying down the fundamental groundwork for you to be an inspired, educated, and informed writer. You get to decide where and how to take this forward on your writing journey. But now, you have a map. You already know how a story starts, you've seen hundreds of them. Still, it can be intimidating, so we'll review four key methods. We'll actually try them out on your current project, so you'll leave with more possibilities than you can use.



November Online Class: The Things They Carry
Instructor: Diana Botsford

Read all the details and register at this link: The Things They Carry w/Diana Botsford - 11/4/2025 

Course Details

In this immersive four-week course, writers will explore the power of settings and props to enhance characterization, evoke emotion, and add depth to their stories. Through a series of interactive exercises and guided discussions, participants will learn how to create vivid, purposeful settings and symbolic props that reflect and shape their characters' inner journeys.


Throughout the course, students will explore examples from literature and film, such as James Michener's “Shogun”, Michael Connelly's “Lincoln Lawyer,” “Rosaline Palmer Takes the Cake,” and Tim O'Brien's “The Things They Carried” to understand how masterful writers employ settings and props to deepen characterization and create immersive, emotionally resonant stories.


By the end of the course, students will have developed a comprehensive toolkit for crafting purposeful, evocative settings and props that elevate their storytelling and engage readers on a profound level. This course is designed to benefit fiction writers of all levels of experience and is not specific to any particular genre or medium.





How do I register for an online class?


Calendar

Online Coordinator

I have a question about the fees for this or another class...


Any and all money questions should be directed to our Club Treasurer.

Treasurer