teaching writing

Tandem Writing: Two Writers, Two Friends, One Purple and One Green

Tandem Writing: Two Writers, Two Friends, One Purple and One Green

by Samantha Simeone and Lillie Hannon* It’s with just a touch of embarrassment we admit that we met online, specifically at Archive of our Own, which is a hub for fan-works, exchanging comments on each other’s stories about a children’s movie we both felt was…

Wrestling with So-Called Process

Wrestling with So-Called Process

by TWC Memoir Instructor Jill Smolowe There’s a piece of advice commonly offered to people stymied by the tendency to procrastinate: focus on the process, not the outcome. This can be wonderful advice for writers when it’s understood to mean that you should concentrate on…

Where It All Began – celebrating the Summer Creative Writing Intensives’ 10th Anniversary

Where It All Began – celebrating the Summer Creative Writing Intensives’ 10th Anniversary

Reminiscing with TWC Directors Judith Lindbergh and Michelle Cameron After nearly a decade of running the Summer Creative Writing Intensives, The Writers Circle’s completely out-of-the-box, super-fun, creative writing program for teens, TWC directors Judith Lindbergh and Michelle Cameron got together to recall about how it…

Crumbling Blocks into Sandcastles: How I Am Tackling Writer’s Block

Crumbling Blocks into Sandcastles: How I Am Tackling Writer’s Block

By TWC Founder/Director Judith Lindbergh  For years, I’ve been saying that I don’t believe in writer’s block—that I prefer to call it writer’s challenge. Well, I’ve been experiencing a whole lot of writer’s challenge during these last few weeks.  According to my research, it’s not…

Literary versus Commercial? Art versus “Drivel?”

Literary versus Commercial? Art versus “Drivel?”

by TWC Founder/Director Judith Lindbergh A student recently asked a great question that I think many writers ponder and even worry about: What separates “literary” from “non-literary?” How do you suggest we strive to create “literature,” or not, as my creative writing teacher in college…

Wow, That Was INTENSE! Summer Creative Writing Intensive 2020 Virtual Edition (featuring Hurricane Isaias)

Wow, That Was INTENSE! Summer Creative Writing Intensive 2020 Virtual Edition (featuring Hurricane Isaias)

by Rebecca Kilroy, 2020 Summer Creative Writing Intensive Coordinator In an ordinary world, I would’ve gotten up Monday morning, put on my Summer Intensive t-shirt (after two years as a student and three as an intern, I have a rainbow to choose from), and driven…

What Writing Means to Me: I Am a Waiting Room

What Writing Means to Me: I Am a Waiting Room

by Lillie Hannon Please trust me when I say that I thought long and hard about how to answer “what writing means to me”. I came up with draft after draft about nonexistent schedules and favorite notebooks and my feral-like obsession with the perfect pen.…

My Crazy Idea: Reflections on Ten Years of The Writers Circle

My Crazy Idea: Reflections on Ten Years of The Writers Circle

by Judith Lindbergh, The Writers Circle’s Founder/Director When I started The Writers Circle, I had no expectations that it would become what it is today.  Honestly, I had no expectations at all.  I just needed a way to make a little money, to contribute to…

In Praise of Beta-Readers

In Praise of Beta-Readers

by TWC Founder/Director Judith Lindbergh For anyone who doesn’t know what a “beta-reader” is, just think about software launches.  How often do you get a warning that you’re using the beta version of an app and are invited to share your experiences using the software? …

When You Engage in Some Good Old Literary Citizenship Because, Really, You Just Want New Writer Friends with Whom To Bitch About Publishing

When You Engage in Some Good Old Literary Citizenship Because, Really, You Just Want New Writer Friends with Whom To Bitch About Publishing

By Steph Auteri This blog post was originally published on TWC Instructor Steph Auteri‘s blog. We are publishing this extract from it with permission. View the full post here. I was at my very first HippoCamp last year when I told Lisa Romeo my hopes and…

TWC’s Third Annual Gifts for Writers Compilation

TWC’s Third Annual Gifts for Writers Compilation

It’s that time of year again, when all our thoughts turn to gift-giving. If you have a writer in your life, The Writers Circle has some suggestions that celebrate that special avocation and make your writer feel cherished! Writers love reading, of course (Why else…

The Writers Circle’s 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Finalists

The Writers Circle’s 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards Finalists

DRUM ROLL, PLEASE…. Here they are: The Writers Circle’s 2016 finalists in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards!  We have a lot of key winners this year in practically every writing category!  And the FOUR Gold Key winners will go on to compete on the national level.  Since TWC started sponsoring…