WICE upcoming events

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (03 Nov 2026)

Tue, 03 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Becky Ellis's debut memoir, Little Avalanches (Regalo Press, 2024), won the Rubery Book Award for Best Nonfiction Book of the Year and was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. Her work has appeared in Northwest Review, The Ethel, Best Small Fictions, Psychology Today, and others.

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

WO211 Chapter One (04 Nov 2026)

Wed, 04 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (05 Nov 2026)

Thu, 05 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

This fiction workshop (meeting weekly via Zoom) is designed to help you make significant progress on a project you’re already working on and raise your craft to the next level. Whether you’re writing short stories or are knee-deep in a novel, you’ll have ample opportunity to workshop your writing and troubleshoot obstacles. We will supplement your works-in-progress with published pieces of fiction carefully selected based on the specific genres and craft issues you are grappling with, analyzing the ways other authors have tackled those challenges themselves.

In a supportive, generous, intellectually curious, and motivating atmosphere, we’ll dive into stories aiming to understand how they work, and what they’re trying to achieve.

When this course has been offered in the past, students made significant progress toward their personal writing goals and left with extensive, actionable feedback in hand to keep them moving forward on their own.

Instructor

Based in Paris, Noah Weisz has over a decade of experience teaching creative writing at a wide variety of institutions, including Sciences Po and CEA CAPA. His accolades include winning the F(r)iction Short Story Contest, the Katherine Paterson Prize, and the Sydney Taylor Manuscript Award. His short stories for children, teens, and adults have been widely published in literary magazines. He has an M.F.A. in Fiction from the University of Texas at Austin. Learn more about Noah here: noahweisz.wordpress.com

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (10 Nov 2026)

Tue, 10 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

WO211 Chapter One (11 Nov 2026)

Wed, 11 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (12 Nov 2026)

Thu, 12 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

In a supportive, generous, intellectually curious, and motivating atmosphere, we’ll dive into stories aiming to understand how they work, and what they’re trying to achieve.

Instructor

WS292 Bringing Stories to Life: The craft of scene (17 Nov 2026)

Tue, 17 Nov 2026 16:00:00 GMT

For all levels - Memoir, Novel, Short Story

DESCRIPTION

Scene is where stories come alive on the page. It’s where readers feel, understand, and step inside a story’s world. It’s also where the demands of a writer’s craft are greatest: strong scenes hold both action rendered in sensory, dramatic detail and the interior voice that shapes how readers experience the story.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

Character & Setting Craft:

Ground story in vivid, purposeful locations;

Create characters with clear motivation and authentic behavior

Develop compelling dialogue that reveals character

Pacing & Structure:

Build tension through countervailing forces
Drive momentum with action and conflict
Practice page-turning pacing techniques

Voice & Subtext:

Weave in distinctive narrative voice and interiority
Add depth through subtext and implication
Balance showing and telling for maximum impact

HOW CLASSES WILL WORK

Each writer is workshopped at least twice over the term; submissions up to 1,500 words per turn, which allows for detailed feedback. Sessions include:

Study of effective published scenes

Analysis exercises mapping scene and expository techniques

Supportive read-alouds of new work

Collaborative workshopping of three participants' pieces

Q&A on scene craft and technique

COURSE OUTCOME

By the workshop's end, you'll have developed a compelling narrative scene and gained the confidence to craft stories that invite readers in and hold their attention.

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR

Find out more about her at beckyellis.net.

WO211 Chapter One (18 Nov 2026)

Wed, 18 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (19 Nov 2026)

Thu, 19 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

In a supportive, generous, intellectually curious, and motivating atmosphere, we’ll dive into stories aiming to understand how they work, and what they’re trying to achieve.

Instructor

WO211 Chapter One (25 Nov 2026)

Wed, 25 Nov 2026 14:00:00 GMT

An in-person workshop to get you writing!

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” -E. L. Doctorow

Description

Everyone has a story to tell. This class is perfect for beginners who aren’t sure where to start as well as for intermediate writers who are looking for feedback and inspiration. In this in-person workshop, we’ll examine elements such as tone, character, dialogue, description, and point of view.

Each is an important building block that helps create a story. We will explore fiction and nonfiction excerpts to study how authors have created the unique tones for their stories and characters, then try our hand at finding the pitch perfect tone for our own work.

Short exercises will focus on honing powers of observation and precise language. In a warm, supportive atmosphere, participants have the opportunity to share the stories they have written and to receive feedback. Optional homework assignments are given each week. You will leave the class with the tools you need to continue writing your stories.

Instructor

Originally from Montana, Janet Skeslien Charles came to France to teach for a year, and has now been here for two decades. She's the New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Library, Moonlight in Odessa, Miss Morgan's Book Brigade, and The Parisian Chapter.

Her essays and short fiction have appeared in the Chicago Tribune, The Sydney Morning Herald, and Montana Noir. Her work has been translated into 40 languages. She has taught creative writing in the U.S., France, Switzerland, and Ukraine. She looks forward to sharing her passion for writing with members of WICE.

Connect with her at JSkeslienCharles.com.

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (26 Nov 2026)

Thu, 26 Nov 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

In a supportive, generous, intellectually curious, and motivating atmosphere, we’ll dive into stories aiming to understand how they work, and what they’re trying to achieve.

Instructor

WS171 Intensive Fiction-Writing Workshop (03 Dec 2026)

Thu, 03 Dec 2026 15:30:00 GMT

Advanced Intensive Fiction Workshop

Description

In a supportive, generous, intellectually curious, and motivating atmosphere, we’ll dive into stories aiming to understand how they work, and what they’re trying to achieve.

Instructor