Latest News
- There’s still room in my Summer Writing Classes and online writing classes. Sign up early to reserve your spot!
- Learn the secrets of the travel writing trade in my Travel, Food and Wine Writing Class in Burgundy (May, 2024).
- Take a look at my recent publications, All in a Spellbinding Ashland Weekend and All and Nothing: Inside Free Soloing, Baptism by Whitewater: Rafting the Salmon River.
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Writing Classes with The Writer’s Workshop
Narrative Writing Classes
Have a compelling story? Want to learn the craft of narrative writing? Dr. Nick O’Connell teaches time-honored principles with a relaxed style in a sequence of four enjoyable Seattle writing courses, from nut graph to structure, from lead to climax.
Travel Writing in Europe
This course uses all of an author’s skills—ranging from dramatic scenes, character sketches, concrete detail, point of view, and scene by scene construction—to compose compelling, engaging travel narratives.
Online Writing Classes
Have you always wanted to write but needing a refresher course on the nuts and bolts of creative writing? Would you like to extend and enhance your writing techniques? If so, these online writing classes will help you communicate clearly and effectively in email, reports, letters, essays as wells as learning the art and craft of fiction and nonfiction narrative.
Reviews from Past Students
Nick O’Connell, founder of The Writer’s Workshop, helped me with the concept for my book, Colors of the West, published in 2017 by Mountaineers Books. We worked together for six months on one of the chapters. Nick gave me valuable assistance with four drafts, which he read with care, offering detailed suggestions for crafting a lively non-fiction narrative. My book would not have gotten off the ground without his insights and experience!
The essay I wrote with your help is in this week’s issue of Newsweek. It is quite exciting – thanks for your help and encouragement in your online writing class. There is very little change from the original, so we must have done good!
I really appreciate all of your great feedback in the online writing class, particularly the fact that you went through my writing very carefully. Although I learned a lot in the Writers Digest Fiction course it was mostly through my efforts – instructor feedback was usually limited to two or three sentences of general comments that were not particularly helpful. I will stick with you, Jessica Murphy and Scott Driscoll in the future.
It was 20 years ago you urged me to submit a story I’d written in your Seattle writing class to the Seattle Weekly. They published it in February 1993. Best money I ever made. I’ve been a journalist/ reporter ever since then all over the country, including the Hartford Courant. Thank you.
I took Nick O’Connell’s Seattle writing class “Stalking the Nonfiction Narrative” when I was stuck on the first draft of my book. He helped me break through barriers, giving me the techniques to create a solid structure for my book. Then he worked with me as a writing coach and gave insightful feedback that enabled me to craft my story into a publishable manuscript. Throughout the whole process, he encouraged and advised me on all aspects of the writing and publishing. Nick was a huge part of my recent book sale, and I would recommend him to any writer–-whether you just want to improve your technique or to publish professionally.
Do you have a compelling story? Want to learn the craft of narrative writing? Dr. Nick O’Connell teaches time-honored principles with a relaxed style in four enjoyable Seattle writing classes. From nut graph to structure, from lead to climax, Nick has transformed my writing career from scientific researcher to riveting narrative non-fiction author.
Nick, I am so grateful for the opportunity to take your summer nonfiction seminar through The Writer’s Workshop. It was the summer of 2008, and I was in the midst of making big changes in my professional life. The writing class proved to be the kick-off to my new path as a food and wine writer on the east coast. Now as wine columnist and a restaurant reviewer for the Boston Globe, I regularly use the techniques of narrative writing to bring readers into the action of a story and to create engaging scenes out of everyday moments. Thank you for fostering a supportive learning environment in your writing classes that played a key role in my development as a professional writer.
Sometimes the most influential people have no idea of the impact they have on others. I just wanted you to know what a tremendous difference you have made to my writing life and to share the great news that an essay of mine will be published in a Seal Press anthology, Ask Me About My Divorce: Women Open Up About Moving On, that is scheduled for release in May 2009. Your kindness, your style, your generous sharing of your craft, your respect for everyone… it all had a deep impact on me and gave me the courage to write from my heart.
The Storms of Denali: Book Trailer with Nicholas O’Connell
Email or Call Today: (206) 284-7121
Have you always wanted to write but haven’t known where to start?
Have you written in the past but need a refresher? Are you an experienced author who wants to perfect and extend your technique?
We offer a wide variety of writing classes, including Seattle writing classes, travel writing classes and online writing classes to meet the needs of a wide range of writers. All of our instructors have extensive teaching and professional writing experience, allowing them to guide you through the sometimes bewildering world of newspaper, magazine and book publication. We provide expert, constructive criticism to help you master the art and craft of writing.
Meet your writing instructor Nicholas O’Connell
Hello & welcome!
Learn the secrets of narrative writing in my writing classes and:
I look forward to working with you!
Yours,
Nicholas O’Connell, M.F.A., Ph.D.
Send me an email
(206) 284-7121
Writing classes help writers tell compelling stories.
Reach a wide audience and satisfy some of your deepest yearnings for pattern, mystery, and coherence in your life.
Narrative writing allows for great scope and ambition, but it requires commitment to the habit of art to succeed. Our writing classes will help you develop your own habit of art, mastering the art and craft of narrative writing essential to creating fiction and nonfiction stories.
We teach Seattle writing classes, travel writing classes and a wide range of online writing classes.