Begins Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Live Seminar via Zoom from 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET

🌍 Class Times by Time Zone: Los Angeles (PDT): 3:30 PM – 5:30 PM / Chicago (CDT): 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM / New York (EDT): 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM 

Now Enrolling!

Any questions about this class? Use the Chat Button to talk with us.

Instructor Cara Benson is the author of the memoir An Armsfull of Birds: A Personal Field Guide to Love, Loss, and Commitment (2026). Other writing has appeared in The New York Times, Boston Review, Best American Poetry, The Brooklyn Rail, Orion, Sierra Magazine, The Los Angeles Review of Books, Electric Literature, Hobart, Vol. 1 Brooklyn, and in syndication. She has received a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship and the bpNichol Award, and is the author of (made), a collection of prose poems praised by The Huffington Post and The Brooklyn Rail. Cara is represented by Jennifer Thompson of Nordlyset and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Goddard College. She has been a Visiting Writer for The New York State Writers Institute, Rhode Island School of Design, Evergreen College, Kelly Writers House, and Stonecoast MFA. 

Who is this class for?

This class is for writers who want to create more tension and propulsion in their writing. It is open to all levels and genres — whether you write lyric essay, novel, memoir, short story, flash, or poetry.

What to expect:

In Elmore Leonard's ten rules for writing, he saved the most important one for last: "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip." Whether you're working in fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, it's fairly sound advice to put words down on the page that will lead a reader to want to read what comes next. Seems obvious — but how does a writer actually achieve this?

In this one-day online writing seminar, students will look at examples from published writing that demonstrate methods of compelling readers forward, then practice these strategies in their own writing during the session. The workshop will also cover revision exercises designed to sharpen existing work. Students can bring current projects, use the seminar to generate new material, or simply use the experience to strengthen good writing muscles. Participants will leave this Zoom writing class with practical tools and best practices for creating engaging, page-turning work.

What are the writing goals?

In this course, students will generate one to two sections of new writing and practice revision techniques. Through instructor-led exercises and published examples, participants will develop strategies for creating tension, momentum, and reader engagement across genres.

COURSE OUTLINE

The seminar will open with an introduction to the topic of keeping readers engaged, followed by reading and listening to examples from published writing that demonstrate effective methods of forward propulsion. Students will then write in response to instructor-led exercises, practicing these strategies in their own work. Time permitting, participants may share this new writing with the group for discussion.

COURSE TAKEAWAYS:

• Tools to sharpen your writing and keep a reader engaged from start to finish
• Revision practices to identify and cut the parts that readers tend to skip
• Experience writing with the reader in mind in a way that is generative and energizing
• Practical strategies for creating tension and propulsion across genres
• New or revised writing generated during the session

"Thank you Cara! This has been my favorite class from Writing Workshops. I feel like I have new, applicable tools to energize and free me up. Also, the talent in this group is legit and I’m crazy impressed with everyone here. Thanks!" -Allison E.

"Loved the workshop with Cara Benson! I learned so much about Flash writing in the course. I feared it might be challenging to have an online course with no live component. Yet, Cara did amazing work to keep it engaging. She is supportive and gives helpful feedback. Highly recommended workshop to get into writing!" -Sobhi K.

"Thank you so much Cara! I appreciate your feedback and the feedback of those in the class. I was very impressed with the content of the lessons and level of writing talents. It's been a pleasure!" - Heather B.

"This class was excellent and exceeded my expectations! Cara was encouraging and supportive and made the space very safe. The class was well structured and informative." -Rochelle F.

"Thank you, Cara! I've definitely gotten a lot out of the class and it's been really wonderful reading everyone's work and getting feedback on my own." -PD

"The community and feedback from the instructor were great, the readings were enjoyable, the structure was easy to follow and work within. Instructor and community feedback were definitely the most valuable. It's hard to find a good writing group, and sharing a couple months with other writers was the best part of the course." -Chris C.

"What a lovely, inspiring and informative class and group. And thank you, Cara, for being at the helm. I truly enjoyed it."

"So much interesting work and so many thoughtful comments. I've learned a lot. Cara, you took me to some places I wouldn't have found on my own. And your critiques are very insightful and tuned-in to the particulars of each writer. I appreciate all of your comments to me. Thank you so much Cara! And thanks everyone for good feedback, good work, and for being here!"

PAYMENT OPTIONS:

Tuition 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.

ONLINE COURSE STRUCTURE:

• Instructor: Cara Benson
• Tuesday, July 21, 2026
• Class will meet once via Zoom on Tuesday, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM ET
• Tuition is $99 USD.