30% off all our workshops for 5 days only! — Memorial Day Sale
Make this your most creative summer yet | Write or Die Weekly #71
Hi friends — you may notice things look a little different. I’ve combined both of our newsletters into one to avoid confusion and so you don’t miss a thing. From now on, all Write or Die updates will land right here on Substack — including new workshops, submission calls, and monthly writing inspiration.
Let’s dive into what’s happening this week…
Happy Memorial Day weekend! We are celebrating with our biggest discount yet! All our one-day and multi-week workshops are now 30% off (yes, you read that right). But the sale only lasts until Monday, so don’t miss out on some major savings and enrollment in some of the coolest workshops around.
Use code WRITE30 at checkout ↓
🩷 From Book Crush to Book Review: A Literary Criticism How-To with Diana Arterian
THIS SATURDAY, May 24 | 2–4 PM EST | $50
One of the literary world’s best-kept secrets is how desperate editors are for book reviews. Writing criticism is a way to simultaneously be an active citizen of the literary community and nab some good bylines.
If you have yet to pen a book review, it can feel undeniably daunting. How do I avoid writing the equivalent of a high school book report? What is important to include? How do I sound like myself?
In this seminar, we will consider the practice of literary criticism: its common moves, its value in the literary community, how to begin, and how to get that polished review published.
❤️ Edit Your Heart Out
Editing for Style: A Hands-On Lesson in Copyediting
with Jordan Koluch | Starts Wednesday, June 4 | 7 - 9 PM (EST)
A good copyedit is more than just a spell-check—it’s sensitive to author voice and intent and makes the text more accessible for the reader.
In this class, you’ll learn the basics of good copyediting and implement those basics over a number of sample texts. We’ll start with becoming familiar with The Chicago Manual Style and Merriam Webster, then move on to the different things copy editors should always be looking for when approaching a text.
Editing Your Work Like a Reader: Tangible Editing Tactics to Tackle Plot and Strengthen Language
with Michelle Kicherer | Thursday, June 12 | 7 - 8:30 PM (EST)
Zadie Smith says editing is all about becoming the reader of your work. But how do you actually do that? In this workshop, we’ll break editing into three key stages—first drafts, early drafts, and final drafts—and explore real examples of scenes and stories transformed through revision. You’ll learn how to hook your reader from the start, identify what your story is really about, spot what’s missing, and cut what’s not working. Most importantly, you’ll walk away with practical tools to edit your work with fresh eyes—and more power on the page.
🧭 Map Like a Mother Fucker
This is the Place: Mapping Memory and Home in Regional Writing
with Kristen Arnett | Sunday, June 8 | 1 - 3 PM (EST)
Writing about place and home that has "main character syndrome.”
Dorothy Allison once wrote that “Change, when it comes, cracks everything open.” Part of writing regionally means discovering the things that you thought you knew about your memory and perception are colored and distorted by the environment that shaped you. In regional writing, setting is key. How is home constructed in place narrative? Through application of all five senses? Does it require thinking of place as character? Attendees will spend time in this session discussing the craft of place and regional writing in narrative works, essays, and pop culture/media. This will be a collaborative process; one that allows us to consider (and reconsider) questions of “home” when it comes to creative work. Readers will generate work in-session and take home prompts when the workshop is complete.
Outline Your Entire Book Series from Start to Finish
with Hannah Kate Kelley | Wednesday, June 11 | 6 - 7:30 PM
Got an idea for your book series? Create an easy outline in this 1.5 hour workshop to map out your stories and cut down any overwhelm.
In this workshop, we're going to plan your series with a simple step-by-step outline. First, learn which type of series you're going to write (there are three!). Then we'll break down how to create each one, exploring how to extend your protagonist's journey and central conflict across each story—whether you've got two books or twelve!
🎬 Pen, Paper, Action!
Reel to Real: What Fiction Writers Can Learn from Screenwriting
with Michael Costaris | Saturday, June 7 | 3 - 6 PM (EST)
Take your fiction writing to the next level by applying the principles of screenwriting. In this course, you'll refine your dialogue, develop compelling character arcs, and construct a strong narrative spine—all while learning how cinematic techniques can elevate your short fiction.
*Don’t forget to use code WRITE30 for 30% off!
Have you submitted to our contest yet?! ↓↓↓
Are these free for paid Sub Club subscribers? Also, will they be recorded? Thanks!