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The Attic Experience

Martha Gies's class in writing creative non-fiction made me write like an energizer bunny every day. At first I was very nervous at the thought of being critiqued. After critique the work of the first group, I realized that the class was all about fostering the manuscript "on the table." Martha creates an amazingly nurturing and honest climate in which the focus is on the manuscript and the author is in the background. I think this allows writers to hear the "criticism" without feeling "criticized." I felt energized to revise. The others taking the class offered so many incisive, thoughtful, and supportive comments. I've produced two viable chapters. I can't say enough good things about my experience at the Attic.

Helen Sinoradzki

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Based on methods developed exclusively at the Attic by founder and director David Biespiel, Every Writer Has a Thousand Faces cracks open the creative process and challenges traditional assumptions about writing that can stifle creativity. Both beginning and experienced writers—as well as artists, musicians, dancers, and anyone else on a creative path—will benefit from this elegant, surprising, and fresh perspective. An essential book for any writer's library.

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Scholarships & Internships

Attic director David Biespiel invites writers to apply for scholarships in exchange for taking select writing workshops.

Scholarships: The Attic scholarship is a unique barter arrangement: Students work as personal assistants to the director and as studio associates to assist with PR, marketing, development (no fundraising), research, promotion, web management, and other literary endeavors.

Those interested in discussing scholarship opportunities should contact us directly. Please describe the workshop you are interested in taking and, most important, what specific office, administrative, PR, marketing, and other skills and experience you possess.

Scholarships are awarded on a rolling basis.

Internships: The Attic has a long history of hiring successful college interns. We invite college students to apply as unpaid interns. Please follow the same criteria listed above for scholarships. Contact us directly

Current Classes


FALL: Children's Book Writing Workshop: Write that Picturebook! (Wednesdays)
FALL: Creative Non-Fiction Workshop A: Writing the Classical Essay (Tuesdays)
FALL: Creative Non-Fiction Workshop B: Writing the Classical Essay (Mondays)
FALL: Creative Non-Fiction Workshop C: The Art of Telling Stories That Happen To Be True (Wednesdays)
FALL: Creative Non-Fiction Workshop D: The Art of Telling Stories That Happen To Be True (Wednesdays)
FALL: Erotica Workshop: Erotic, Realistic, or Sizzling (Mondays)
FALL: Fiction Workshop: Novel-in-Progress (Tuesdays)
FALL: Fiction Workshop: Short Stories (Tuesdays)
FALL: Fiction Workshop: The Long Story (Thursdays)
FALL: Life Sketches Workshop A: Write. Share. Preserve. For individuals 55-over only (Wednesdays)
FALL: Magazine Writing Workshop: Write Those Queries! (Wednesdays)
FALL: Memoir Master Class Weekend with Ariel Gore (Fri-Sun)
FALL: Memoir Workshop: The Language of Your Life A.M. (Thursdays)
FALL: Memoir Workshop: These Are the Good Old Days (Mondays)
FALL: Narrative Workshop: Writing the Lives of Girls and Women (Thursdays)
FALL: Online Workshop: Advanced Story Structure / 10-Week Master Class with Marc Acito
FALL: Online Workshop: Story Structure / 10-Week Master Class with Marc Acito
FALL: Poetry Workshop: Power & Play of Discovery (Thursdays)
FALL: Publishing Workshop: The Art of Submission and Publication (Mondays)
FALL: Screenwriting Workshop: Writing for the Screen (Tuesdays)
FALL: Time to Write: Direction, Time & Inspiration (Saturdays)
FALL: Write Now! Creative Writing Renewal for Teachers (Thursdays)

"Life Sketches" Workshops

For individuals 55-over who want to write the essential stories of your life. Experience the pleasure of writing your personal stories, sharing them with peers, and preserving them in print. It's a life-changing experience brought to the page. Life Sketches is the story of your life -- one book at a time.

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The Attic Atheneum

A groundbreaking alternative to the traditional and low-residency MFA, the Attic Atheneum is an 11-month certificate program that melds independent study under close faculty supervision, student receptions, genre meetings, public readings, and other special events created around good food and dynamic conversation, dialogue, and literary community. Applications accepted between March 1 - April 30.

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