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.

To receive periodic emails with information about Ellen's classes, send an email to ellen@ellensussman.com and ask to be added to her writing class email list.

Ellen also works one-on-one with writers. If you're looking for a book doctor or a writing coach, or if you'd like a critical evaluation of your manuscript, contact her by email. ellen@ellensussman.com.

2009-2010 Stanford Continuing Studies

Ellen will be teaching a one day workshop, Jump-Start Your Novel, in the Fall semester at Stanford, and a one day workshop on The Personal Essay in the Winter term. For information about these classes, check the online catalogue.

Mendocino Writers Conference

Ellen will be teaching at the 2010 Mendocino Writers Conference. For more information check their website.

Dates: July 29 - August 1, 2010

2009-2010 Private Classes

Memoirs and Personal Essays
Here's my first 5 week workshop for memoir and personal essays! I'll spend an hour of each class talking about the craft and giving in-class exercises. Two hours of each class will be spent in discussion of student work.

We'll meet on 5 Tuesday nights in November and December.

Dates: Nov 3, Nov 10, Nov 17, Dec 1, Dec 8
Time: 6:30 - 9:30pm
Place: at my house in Los Altos Hills.
Cost: $275

contact me if you're interested. ellen@ellensussman.com

Advanced Fiction Workshop
In each class, we spend two hours critiquing student stories and one hour exploring new material through in-class exercises. I'm looking for students who are serious about their writing and their work in class. If I haven't worked with you before, I'll ask you to submit a sample story or chapter.

Date: Fall, 2009, dates to be announced
Place: at my house in Los Altos Hills.
Cost: $550

Novel in a Year
I'll offer my third Novel in a Year Class beginning in October, 2009. The first two have been a great success -- almost all of the students finished a novel that they began one year ago! They also learned a great deal about the process, skills that they'll be able to apply to the next novel they write.

I will adapt the class this year to apply to writing a book-length memoir as well as a novel. I'll split the class on the first day -- to address the separate issues, and then the following classes will address the issues that the novel and the memoir both share.

Please note: this class is intended for students who are ready to begin writing a novel or memoir. It doesn't work for those of you who are in the process of rewriting novels or who have already written much of the first draft. It's also important to understand that this is not a workshop -- we will not be reading and critiquing your novel/memoir along the way. It is a skills-based class. At the end of the year, I will read and critique your novel or memoir.

I'll take 8 students and work with them for one year in developing, writing, and rewriting a novel or memoir. We'll meet for six half-day sessions during the year to explore

Novel/Memoir Preparation: pre-work, POV choices, finding your voice, developing characters, creating your year-long plan, how to work with a "buddy," how to create your weekly plan, how to meet deadlines.
Chapter One: Setting up your "contract" with the reader, luring them in, establishing your world.
The First Hundred Pages: character development, back story, style.
The Thick Middle of the Story: plot line. How to shape it, move it, shake it up
Endings: Where are you going, where have you been.
Rewriting: Tricks, skills, and the bold choices you have to make.

I will set deadlines for each of those classes to help you create a discipline and set up guidelines for yourselves.

The first and last class will be followed by a lunch at my house.

I will also offer two one hour private sessions to each student during the course of the year.

And finally, I will read and critique the novel or as much of it as is written by Oct 10, 2010

Dates: Oct 10 (this class will be split into two sessions -- morning for fiction, afternoon for memoir), Dec 5, Feb 6, April 3, June 12, Sept 11
Time:9am - noon
Place: at my house in Los Altos Hills.
If you're interested, please email ellen@ellensussman.com.

Best American Short Story Seminars
Along with other writers, you'll discuss The Best American Short Stories 2009. 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.

Date: To be announced, 2010

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