Our 2020 Story Makers class is officially full!
Thank you all for your interest and support.
We will not be holding a full Story Makers class in 2021.
Instead, we will be offering a one day Story Makers Boot Camp workshop on writing basics.
The full Story Makers class will return in 2022.
If you would like to be put on the waitlist for either the boot camp or the 2022 class,
or you have any questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Also consider our Story Makers book club (details below), a writing-focused challenge
book club, which meets once a month on the third Wednesday and is free to everybody.
BOOK CLUB
Kickstart your creativity with our Story Makers book club, a challenge book club of twenty categories. Each category focuses on aspects of writing to encourage reading like a writer. Discussion at the meetings will focus on creative and critical thinking about the books participants have read for the challenge. The group will look at why and how books are effective, or how they are not.
Story Makers book club is an offshoot of our Story Makers class. The book club is free for everyone and is not mandatory for Story Makers students. Story Makers book club does not include instruction, only thoughtful discussion with other writers and book lovers.
Story Makers Challenge
1. A novel by a debut author
2. An author who has published at least 25 books
3. An author teaching this class
4. A nonfiction book on writing
5. A nonfiction book as research for a WIP (Work-In-Progress)
6. A book that reminds you why you love to write
7. A novel by an independent author
8. A traditionally published novel
9. A book that is a window
10. A book that is a mirror
11. A book of folklore
12. A book in the genre in which you write
13. A novel published the year you were born
14. A novel that follows a trope
15. A novel recommended to you
16. A novel you would use as a comp to your story
17. A novel that won a notable award
18. A novel that a favorite author recommends
19. A novel that is a retelling of some sort
20. A novel by an author whose writing routine you’d like to follow
A PDF version of the list is available here.
DEFINITION OF TERMS used in the Challenge
WIP: work in progress
Independent Publishing: when an author publishes their work on their own, taking on the expense of editing, design, printing, and advertising; often referred to as self-publishing
Traditional Publishing: when an author is represented by a major publisher that takes on the expense of polishing and producing their books and often the majority of advertising costs
Window: a book that presents characters or ways of life that are outside of the reader's lived experiences
Mirror: a book that presents characters or ways of life that are comparable to the reader's lived experiences
Genre: category of book (e.g. mystery, romance, nonfiction, etc.)
Trope: any type of literary device, figure of speech, theme, character type, etc. found across many works (e.g. the evil stepmother is a fairy tale trope)
Comp: comparable work (e.g. Percy Jackson is a comp to Harry Potter, Pride and Prejudice is a comp to Jane Eyre)