Jackson Heights Life

Dear JH Life readers,

I'm happy to announce opportunities to join two ongoing writing workshops starting in late April 2015.  Details can be found below and on my website: http://nancyagabian.com/teaching/current-workshops/ 
Email me at nancyagabian@yahoo.com with any questions.  And feel free to spread the word!

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Community Writing Exercise Workshop

Tuesday nights, 7 — 9 pm

Starting April 28 and ongoing through June 30, 2015.

Commit to at least four consecutive sessions. Enrollment open till June 2.

In Jackson Heights, Queens

Limited to eight members.

$380 for all ten weeks or $160/month.

For beginner writers, or writers looking for a means to jump back into their writing process, this workshop will provide time to write while exploring issues of place, community and identity as they manifest in Queens and beyond. The first three to four weeks will be devoted to development: we’ll read and discuss short texts and do interactive writing exercises that may be adapted for poetry or prose. Extra writing prompts will be given for you to try during the week to keep your writing muscles active; during our meetings, time will be allotted for everyone to read aloud exercise results in order to receive supportive responses from the group. In the fourth or fifth week, we’ll work on revisions, supplementing our writing time with critiques of participants’ polished pieces of between three and five pages.  Then we’ll repeat the monthly cycle — 3-4 weeks development, one week revision. Craft and content topics will be geared for the needs, assets and interests of the group members. Examples of past lesson/writing topics have included “Dialogue and scene: A memorable conversation”, “Character and life experience: A first or last time”, and “Creating tension: suspense and structure”. If appropriate, the group will collaborate to work on a theme together, based on issues that are affecting our communities, and we’ll organize a reading, publication, or website of our work.

To apply: Please email nancyagabian@yahoo.com three paragraphs that 1) explain your experience in contributing positively to a community or group and what you could offer to be a successful member of this workshop; 2) describe your interest or experience with writing and how you think this particular workshop could help you, and 3) identify some of the Queens (or NYC) community issues that you care about the most. Attach a double-spaced 1 – 3 page sample of writing.



Creative Nonfiction/Autobiographical Fiction

Wednesday nights, 6:30 – 9:30 pm

in Jackson Heights, Queens

Limited to 8 members.

Open to new members starting April 29 and ongoing till July 1, 2015.

Commit to at least four consecutive sessions. Enrollment open till June 3.

$425 for all ten sessions or $190/month.

Geared for intermediate to advanced writers working on individual short stories and essays or a book-length prose project, this ongoing community-oriented group encourages members to write in a way that is both bravely personal and socially conscious. Held in a supportive environment in the instructor’s home, the weekly sessions include discussions of exemplary contemporary fiction and nonfiction, craft exercises to help you develop material and learn writing techniques, and constructive group feedback sessions. Content and craft are fused in an innovative set of lessons that are adjusted to the interests and needs of the group; content topics have included writing on race, class, gender, sexuality and their intersections; cross cultural & queer experiences; the immigrant experience; war and occupation; food writing; and health, wellness and the body. Readings may include stories, chapter excerpts or full books as well as attendance to one or two public readings relating to the topics we will be exploring. By the end of the ten weeks, you will have completed or revised up to twenty pages of writing (one long piece or a few short essays, stories or chapters) that will be ready to publish.

To apply: Please email nancyagabian@yahoo.com two paragraphs that 1) explain your experience in contributing positively to a community or group (writing or otherwise) and what you could offer to be a successful member of this workshop and 2) describe your writing goals, the writing you would like to do with this group and how you think this particular writing workshop could help you. Attach a double-spaced 5 – 10 page sample of writing.

In order to be accessible to people of all income levels, payment plans are available for all workshops; sliding scale is also possible. Please inquire with an email to nancyagabian@yahoo.com.

Former students of Nancy have gone on to publish, perform, teach, win fellowships and awards, and attend MFA writing programs. Read student testimonials here! http://nancyagabian.com/teaching/testimonials/

Nancy Agabian is the author of two acclaimed books and an award-winning teacher with 20 years of experience working in community. She also teaches creative writing at the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at NYU.