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The Attic Experience

"The Attic's poetry workshops aren't the kind where poems get fixed like cars taken to the mechanic. They're valuable because the right questions get asked--about the particular poems, about technique, and about poetry in general. Questions you can take away and use when you're on your own."

David Filer

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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.

Learn more / Read an excerpt / Order a signed copy

Life By Design NW features the Attic's "Life Sketches" workshop

Life by Design NW, a nonprofit in Portland that serves people over 50 in navigating life changes such as retirement, career and volunteer opportunities, has teamed up with the Attic to feature our upcoming Life Sketches workshops.

Life Sketches is the Attic’s one-of-kind writing workshop for individuals 55 and older. In six-weeks participants get to experience the pleasure of writing their personal stories, share them with peers, and preserve them in print.

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: Life Sketches: Snapshots / Sunday
FALL: Life Sketches: Snapshots / Wednesday
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: Story Structure / 10-Week Class with Marc Acito
FALL: Poetry Workshop: Power & Play of Discovery (Thursdays)
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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