Classes

Ellen teaches fiction writing classes in the San Francisco Bay area and several international locations. Check here regularly for updated schedules, class openings, and registration information.

2008 Class Schedule

Craft of Fiction One-Day Workshop
Ellen will offer a one day workshop on Sat, Feb 23. The classe will explore the foundation of fiction writing — character development, plot, point of view, style, rewriting. This class is recommended for those of you who are new to writing fiction or who have not written in a while and want some skill-building exercises.

$125 including lunch
9am - 4pm with an hour break for lunch

Weekly Fiction Workshops
Join Ellen in a class of twelve students to learn the art and craft of fiction writing. Whether you're working on short stories or a novel, your work will be critiqued by Ellen and other students in a supportive and creative environment. Students also work on in-class exercises to develop characters and story.

Los Altos Hills, CA
Thursday evenings
6:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Spring dates coming soon.

Best American Short Story Seminars
Along with other writers, you'll discuss the previous year's Best American Short Stories anthology (published by Houghton Mifflin). You'll evaulate the stories as a writer, looking at what you can learn from the stories in the collection. Class size is limited to 14.

Los Altos Hills, CA
Four Saturday mornings, 9:00 a.m. to noon
March 22, March 29, April 5, and April 12, 2008

Novel in a Year
Meet wtih Ellen and other novelists to plan out the aspects of your story and characters, how to best incorporate then into your work, and how to face the challenges of writing your novel. As you write your draft throughout the year, you meet periodically with Ellen and the other students. At the end, Ellen reads and critiques your finished draft. Class size is limited to 8.

Los Altos Hills, CA
Beginning again in September, dates to come
To register, send email to ellen@ellensussman.com.

What Ellen's Students Have to Say

“I was an English major and have an MFA in creative writing and after years of workshops, Ellen remains one of my all-time favorite teachers. She has a natural talent for motivating students to write, handling the group critique dynamic, and helping you shape and push a story forward. I always left her classes with a spark of inspiration.” — Lolly Winston, NY Times Bestsellers Good Grief and Happiness Sold Separately

“Why take one of Ellen Sussman's classes? Inspiration. Not enough? How about the kind of criticism that will enable you to find your own voice and move your writing from the pedestrian to the distinctive? You want still another reason? Well, then there's this: with the class comes membership in a writing fellowship that brings both shared excitement and terror. Go for it!” — Keith Raffel, Dot.Dead

“Ellen is a perfect combination of tough coach and head cheerleader. She teaches with deep understanding how a writer stuggles. While creating a warm and welcoming environment, she challenges you to find depth in your work you never knew you could achieve.” — Shelly King, Winner 26th Annual Palo Alto Weekly Short Fiction Contest, 2nd place winner of The Writer Short Story Contest