May's Key Craft Takeaways
Plus our June workshop calendar and lit mag recs from our instructors
Hey friends,
It’s time for the monthly Forever Workshop round-up, featuring a rundown of all the best bits from May and a sneak peek at what’s coming up in June.
What’s inside:
Four slices of prime knowledge from last month’s writing lessons
June’s calendar of masterclasses and live events
Our FREE workshop of the month
15 lit mag recommendations from our brilliant instructors
Now, put your literary hat on and let’s go.
4 Ways to Level Up Your Writing with Our May Workshops
1. Switch up your exposition infodump for character development
“Sometimes a beginning is engaging but it’s followed by dense paragraphs of narrative or infodumps. Editors and agents can easily spot that by simply flipping through the first few chapters and not seeing enough white space.
My rule of thumb is limited backstory or flashbacks for the first fifty pages.
The reasoning being, you don’t care about a character’s past until you get to know them a bit in the present.”
— Karin Gillespie, Simon & Schuster novelist and pitching expert
2. Get super specific about your genre to strengthen your artist statement
“Go deeper than just ‘I write memoir.’ Even something like ‘I write queer memoir’ is not quite specific enough.
Try to uniquely define the genre and style you work in, even if that means literally inventing new categories.
In an artist statement, I’ll often note that I write what I call ‘queer relationship horror,’ literary horror in which the source of the horror sits within an interpersonal relationship, usually romantic or sexual partnership between two women. I’m not trying to sound Special or Different by going deeper than just saying I write ‘literary horror’; I’m demonstrating that I’ve thought about my own work intentionally and have a certain level of confidence in defining and describing it.”
— Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya, author, essayist, editor, and reader for Tin House
3. Incorporate shifts and turns into your poetry to create shape and meaning
“An emotional [poetic] turn happens when the poem pivots from one feeling to another — often sharply. The contrast creates surprise and heightens the emotional stakes. [This] can help you to intentionally craft movement in your poems rather than waiting for it to happen by accident.
For example:
Write a poem rooted in a clear mood, then insert a line that expresses the opposite emotion — grief interrupting joy, hope interrupting despair.”
— Kelly Grace Thomas, poet, writer & educator
4. Ground your memoir in time and place with this quick micro technique:
“The first sentence must immediately ground the reader — no throat-clearing or backstory.
When it comes to writing micro, you don’t want to spend too much time overthinking. Stay open to where the writing wants to go — you might not always know why you’re writing about what you’re writing about at first. Trust what shows up on the page.
Here’s a way to front-load some possibilities:
Set a timer for 10 minutes
List 15 memories that ground us clearly in a particular place or time, such as
The last time I...
In my mother’s kitchen…
The summer of…
Don’t judge, just brain dump
Number them, then use a random generator to choose your prompt”
— Darien Gee, bestselling author, memoirist, and micro expert
What’s Coming up in June?
How to Craft Impactful Character Encounters — June 3
The moment two characters meet is the moment your reader decides whether to keep reading. Lit Match Collective’s Steve Chang (Okay Donkey) and Autumn Watts break down the structure of a first encounter that earns tension instead of announcing it — step-by-step technique drawn from stories that actually land the hook. More characterization lessons here »
6 Writing Equations to Get You Into Your Story — June 10
If you struggle with starting a new idea, try one (or six!) of these fun hacks for unlocking your story. Figure out what your writer-brain really wants to focus on and rewire your creative process with Erin Karbuczky. More novel writing workshops here »
Writing About Grief & Trauma — June 17
Grief is one of the most universal — and deeply personal — human experiences, which is what makes it so difficult to render on the page. Editor and grief coach Helene Kiser offers sensitive and practical advice on translating your feelings into words in a way that resonates with readers. More non-fiction lessons here »
Where to Start with Historical Fiction — June 24
Want to write historical fiction but feeling overwhelmed by research? Or just not sure how to turn source material into a narrative? Emma Darwin shows us how to unearth nuggets of inspiration from the history books and explore different ways of finding your way into a story. More fiction workshops here »
P.S. You can also sneak a peek at July’s curriculum here:
Live Writing Webinars with Chill Subs
And if you prefer your workshops delivered direct to your face, you can also join in with a bunch of monthly live webinars, Q&As and writing sessions with Chill Subs’ live events*:
Here’s what’s on this month:
Publishing 101: Submitting Your Work with Strategy and Grace — 11 June
7 Kinds of Writer’s Block and How to Get Past Each One — 16 June
Simplify Submitting with Chill Subs — 18 June
Ask-Me-Anything: Jennifer Acker, EiC of The Common — 25 June
✨ Free Workshop of the Month ✨
Find out what lit mag editors really look for when reading submissions with this insightful Q&A from our prestigious editorial panel — free for ALL for the month of June:
15 Lit Mag Recs From Our May Instructors
Finally, to inspire you submit your work in June, howzabout a hand-picked selection of our latest instructors’ favorite lit mags and publications? (We spoil you, we know.)
“I love Poets and Writers for its personal essays.”
(Recommended by Karin Gillespie)
“The New Yorker — best stories, always brilliantly written, never miss it.
The New York Times Review of Books — has great features and lists upcoming books I don’t want to miss.
Paris Review - I love it but don’t read it often enough.”
(Recommended by Erin C. Niumata)
“TriQuarterly — I’m biased since I used to work for them, but they are always taking some big swings with the work they publish, and their archives are a treasure trove.
Foglifter — Again, I’m biased. I currently work for them. But even if I didn’t, I’d give deserved flowers to this LGBTQ+ lit journal that publishes some of the best queer and trans creative writing in the game.
Cake Zine — Print is alive and well, and the tremendous work published in Cake Zine is proof of it. They do some of my favorite themed calls.
Orion Magazine — I could read every issue cover to cover. The work (especially the longform work) is so standout.”
(Recommended by Kayla Kumari Upadhyaya)
“Sixth Finch — Publishes poems that repeatedly take my breath away — the kind that make me sigh damn at their precision and vulnerability all at once. Evocative and emotionally hard-hitting without ever sacrificing craft, I swoon for Sixth Finch.
ONLY POEMS — Perhaps the coolest kids on the block with one of the widest reaches. They publish poems of delight that itch the mind and make you wander, inviting you to reconsider your perspective in the most beautiful way.
Muzzle — Ever since its inception, Muzzle has been a journal that publishes poems with teeth. These pieces are often full of momentum, feeling immediate and accessible while offering a masterclass in elevated craft.”
(Recommended by Kelly Grace Thomas)
“Short Reads — The editorial team (formerly with Creative Nonfiction magazine) celebrates writers and writing short. The online magazine is free and a place to deepen your understanding and appreciation for true stories of lived experiences, written in a small space.
ZYZZYVA — A robust and eclectic selection of beloved and new writers, covering all genres.
CALYX Magazine — Featuring women writers and diverse voices.
Tupelo Quarterly — The editor champions new writers while also pulling in beloved contributors to offer a balance of work that’s fresh and relevant.”
(Recommended by Darien Gee)
That’s all for now. Meet you on the blank page…
The Forever Workshop
