{"product_id":"zen-art-of-ideating-fiction-writing-workshop-online","title":"Zen and the Art of Ideating: A Story Writing Café with Ben Tanzer (Zoom) on Thursday, October 29th, 2026","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html\" data-block-type=\"2\" id=\"block-0c22edf6c5f4ee9d89a4\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align: left;\" class=\"sqs-block-content\"\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eZen and the Art of Ideating: A Story Writing Café with Ben Tanzer\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eBegins Thursday, October 29, 2026\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eLive Seminar via Zoom from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eNow Enrolling! Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInstructor Bio\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eInstructor Ben Tanzer\u003cspan\u003e is an Emmy-award winner whose acclaimed work includes the short story collection UPSTATE, the science fiction novel \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOrphans\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and the essay collections \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eLost in Space\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003eand\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eBe Cool\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. His recent novel, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe Missing\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, was released in March 2024 by 7.13 Books and was a finalist for the Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year in the Traditional Fiction category. His new book, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eAfter Hours: Scorsese, Grief and the Grammar of Cinema\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, which Kirkus Reviews calls \"A heartfelt if overstuffed tribute to the author's father and the ameliorative power of art,\" was released by Ig Publishing in May 2025. Ben's next book, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eHuman Noise\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, is a short story collection that will be released by Thirty West Publishing House in spring 2027. Ben is also the host of the long-running podcast \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis Podcast Will Change Your Life\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, teaches at Lake Forest College and Roosevelt University, and lives in Chicago with his family.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho is this class for?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThis workshop is for short story writers searching for ways to generate more ideas and build a deeper well of potential stories to write. It's also for writers interested in developing a group of pieces that might connect into a short story collection — linked or otherwise. This is an all-levels online writing class; whether you're just starting out or refining an existing practice, you're welcome here.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat to expect:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThis highly interactive creative writing seminar will inspire you to embrace idea generation as a way to enhance your story writing, craft, and ongoing productivity. The session is modeled on \"Parent Cafés\" — a structured, peer-to-peer small-group discussion approach Ben has used throughout his work as a nonprofit leader, facilitator, and communicator — and adapts it into a generative engine for fiction writers.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eWhat's distinctive here is the pace: the workshop pushes you to generate a flurry of ideas in short order while simultaneously crafting the concrete details your stories need to take flight. Through a series of individual and group exercises, you'll brainstorm, look within, and examine your own experiences — the people and places you know, and where you've lived, both physically and emotionally — to create a pool of ideas to work on and from going forward. The work focuses on the building blocks of fiction: setting, characters, situations, and dialogue.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eExpect to talk, reflect, create, and write — a lot. You'll leave inspired, with the beginnings of a draft story and a stockpile of ideas for more. Instructor feedback runs throughout the live Zoom session and is welcomed after the workshop as well.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat are the writing goals?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eIn this course, students will produce two concrete takeaways: (1) a working list of story ideas and supporting details to build off and from going forward, and (2) the beginning of a draft story to continue developing after the workshop. Feedback is provided live by the instructor throughout the session, with continued support welcomed afterward.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReadings\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eReadings may include excerpts from Zen in the Art of Writing: Essays on Creativity by Ray Bradbury — specifically \"Run Fast, Stand Still, or The Thing at the Top of the Stairs, or New Ghosts from Old Minds.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOURSE OUTLINE\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eThis is a single, two-hour live seminar organized into the following segments:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003eSegment 1: Introductions\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003eSegment 2: The Beauty of Lists (and the Art of Ray Bradbury)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003eSegment 3: Story Prompts, Parts I \u0026amp; II — Speed Round\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003eSegment 4: Content Café, Part I — Setting \u0026amp; Characters (Solo Brainstorm + Talk)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003eSegment 5: Content Café, Part II — Situations \u0026amp; Dialogue (Solo Brainstorm + Talk)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003eSegment 6: Write \u0026amp; Share Segment 7: Q\u0026amp;A Segment 8: Close\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCOURSE TAKEAWAYS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eA generative toolkit for producing story ideas quickly and consistently\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eA working list of story ideas and concrete details to build from\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eThe beginnings of a draft short story\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eHands-on practice developing setting, characters, situations, and dialogue\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eA peer-to-peer \"Café\" method you can reuse to sustain your productivity\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eStrategies for connecting individual stories into a potential linked collection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTESTIMONIALS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-pre-wrap leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\"I get a great deal of value from your sessions… You were among the most positive and encouraging workshop leaders I've encountered, not only because of the beneficial material presented, but because your facilitation skills were excellent. Your interactions with participants were respectful and expressed genuine interest in their views. I don't offer this praise lightly — I spent nearly all of my 42-year career in human resources and training and conducted many classes during that time. You were great!\" — Larry Pike, Mountain Heritage Literary Festival\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\"Ben Tanzer did a great job of compressing meaningful theory, plus practice and interaction, into a short time frame. He created an opportunity for each person to have a valuable experience. You should take his Introducing Hope into Our Writing Process seminar if you can.\"\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\"Ben Tanzer's Introducing Hope into Our Writing Process seminar offers a peek behind the curtain at the real assumptions, motivational issues, and habits that get in the way of productive writing. It offers practical experiments and ways to rethink what we are doing so that we can find new pathways to our goals, or new goals.\"\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\"The workshop with Ben Tanzer was a fantastic combination of science, personal experience, and psychology that gave me clear, applicable tools to improve my writing life. Ben is a warm, empathetic, and engaging instructor, and he created a safe, fun, and enlightening space for us to learn and grow as writers—and as people.\"\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\"I wasn’t sure how the concept of 'hope' might relate to the writing process. All of these workshops have \u003cspan data-ddnwab-gr=\"K8g_6_0\"\u003ehelped open\u003c\/span\u003e my eyes to different views of writing, from meeting the \u003cspan data-ddnwab-gr=\"K8g_7_0\"\u003ex-number of words per day\u003c\/span\u003e challenge to a more human yet complex task of organizing thoughts into an inspiring product. \u003cspan data-ddnwab-gr=\"K8g_8_0\"\u003eIntroducing the Power of Hope to Our Writing Process seminar\u003c\/span\u003e with Ben Tanzer was no different.\"\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePAYMENT OPTIONS:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003eTuition is $99 USD. You can pay for the course in full or use Shop Pay or Affirm to pay over time with equal Monthly Payments. Both options are available at checkout.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"font-claude-response-body break-words whitespace-normal leading-[1.7]\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"[li_\u0026amp;]:mb-0 [li_\u0026amp;]:mt-1 [li_\u0026amp;]:gap-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ul]:pb-1 [\u0026amp;:not(:last-child)_ol]:pb-1 list-disc flex flex-col gap-1 pl-8 mb-3\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eInstructor: Ben Tanzer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eBegins Thursday, October 29, 2026\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eClass will meet once via Zoom on Thursday, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"font-claude-response-body whitespace-normal break-words pl-2\"\u003eTuition is $99 USD.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Writing Workshops Org","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48483067134200,"sku":null,"price":16000.0,"currency_code":"JPY","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0287\/3917\/4532\/files\/BenTanzerHeadshot2026.png?v=1768670667","url":"https:\/\/writingworkshops.com\/en-jp\/products\/zen-art-of-ideating-fiction-writing-workshop-online","provider":"Writing Workshops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}