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The Attic Experience

"I found the Attic fiction workshop allowed me to see the value and potential in every piece of writing submitted to the group. The atmosphere of the workshop was warm and respectful, but that level of professional courtesy never interfered with honest, well-constructed feedback. After their first round of Attic scrutiny, one of my own stories, "Address Book," underwent drastic changes as a result of feedback from the group, and it was accepted for publication soon after. I couldn't ask for better results."

Deborah Cravey

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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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Putting Together a Collection of Short Stories

Read, Review & Strategize Option A
Our most popular level of one-on-one coaching for fiction writers. You've got a handful of individual stories--some may have even been published, or maybe not--and you want to fashion the lot into a single manuscript of stories. We can help you.

Send up to 100 pages (including entire manuscript, various drafts of chapters, outline notes, or synopsis), & we'll get into the details with you. Includes: Reading your materials, plus a one-hour or more consultation by phone or in person about ideas & strategies for revision, general narrative & thematic arc, character development, & style. Fee: $195

Read, Review & Strategize Option B
Get a little more out of our one-on-one coaching for fiction writers. You've got a handful of individual stories--some may have even been published, or maybe not--and you want to fashion the lot into a single manuscript of stories. We can help you.

Send 100-200 pages (including entire manuscript, various drafts of chapters, outline notes, or synopsis), & we'll get into the details with you. Includes: Reading your materials, plus a one-hour or more consultation by phone or in person about ideas & strategies for revision, general narrative & thematic arc, character development, & style. Fee: $295

Ongoing Manuscript Development
Jump into your manuscript project with accountability and gusto. This level provides you with ongoing editing & critique for six months or a full year. Details & strategies to be worked out between editor & writer. The most complete arrangement we offer to fully develop your mansucript. We use a retainer system to initiate & maintain this service, plus editing fee to be determined depending on blocks of time for copy-editing, thematic critique, & private consultations.

6-month retainer fee, $295, plus hourly rate for editor.
Annual retainer fee, $495, plus hourly rate for editor.

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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