Flash Nonfiction Generator: Write Short, Write Deep Zoom Seminar with Lizzie Lawson on Saturday, April 25, 2026
Begins Saturday, April 25, 2026
Class will meet once via Zoom on Saturday, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM / Denver (MDT): 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM / Chicago (CDT): 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM / New York (EDT): 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM / London (BST): 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM / Berlin (CEST): 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.
Instructor Lizzie Lawson is a writer and teaching artist from Minneapolis, MN. Her work has been published in Electric Literature, The Florida Review, The Sun, The Rumpus, Passages North, Split Lip Magazine, Wigleaf, and more. She earned an MFA in creative writing from Ohio State, where she served as nonfiction editor for The Journal, and she's currently working on a collection of essays about leaving the Catholic Church. She currently teaches writing and humanities at Augsburg University, Southern New Hampshire University, and The Loft Literary Center.
Who is this class for?
This online writing workshop is for nonfiction writers who want to make a deep impact in few words and come up with new essay ideas. Whether you're curious about flash nonfiction, looking for fresh inspiration, or want to develop short-form skills that pay off in any kind of writing, this class welcomes all levels.
What to expect:
Writing in the short form — 1,000 words or less — can be a powerful way to energize your essays. In this one-day online nonfiction workshop, you'll learn techniques that create lasting depth and impact with few words, and you'll generate several fresh essay drafts that can be developed into publication-ready flash nonfiction. Whether you need a creative spark or want to sharpen your craft, this seminar offers a focused, generative experience.
Lizzie will guide you through short readings of published flash essays, generative writing exercises, and her honest approach to revision and publication strategy. You'll explore the structures and techniques that make short nonfiction resonate, and you'll put those ideas into practice through in-class writing. At the end of the session, you will receive additional flash essay readings and writing prompts to continue your work on your own.
What are the writing goals?
In this course, students will read published flash nonfiction examples and generate three flash essay drafts during the session.
Readings
Readings will be provided during class. Lizzie will share published flash essay examples to study and discuss as part of the seminar.
COURSE OUTLINE
This is a one-day seminar. The session will cover:
- Reading and discussing published flash essay examples
- Examining structures and techniques for creating meaning in few words
- Generative writing exercises to draft three flash essays
- Honest discussion of revision and publication strategy
- Distribution of additional readings and prompts for continued independent work
COURSE TAKEAWAYS:
- Examine structures and techniques to create meaning in few words.
- Read published flash essay examples from a range of voices and perspectives.
- Experiment with generative writing exercises and draft three flash essays.
- Receive honest answers about revision and publication strategy.
- Leave with a list of places to publish and additional prompts to try on your own.
TESTIMONIALS:
“The feedback that Lizzie provided was really detailed, constructive, and thorough. You can tell she really cared about making us better writers.”
“The readings were excellent – I’ve been introduced to new writers and developed obsessions with a few. I’ve also written an essay – probably the best thing I’ve ever written – that I’ve been wanting to write for about six months, but needed a vehicle to tell the story through. Anyway, thought it was fabulous.”
“Lizzie exposed us to so many unique voices/perspectives and always generated a comfortable environment to share our work in. The essay selection was phenomenal.”
“My favorite quote from Lizzie was ‘you don’t have to tell a story only once.’ I can’t explain it well, but it opened a door somewhere in my writer’s mind. I don’t have to be scared I’ll mess up a piece and that memory will be wasted. I can simply start again.”
“I was offered feedback on a very personal essay—Lizzie was gentle, practical, and helpful in her approach to helping me write and edit this piece. Her advice on other students’ writing also provided a great perspective for a broad range of pieces.”
- Instructor: Lizzie Lawson
- Begins Saturday, April 25, 2026
- Class will meet once via Zoom on Saturday, 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM ET
- Tuition is $99 USD.
🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM / Denver (MDT): 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM / Chicago (CDT): 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM / New York (EDT): 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM / London (BST): 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM / Berlin (CEST): 8:00 PM – 11:00 PM