• $99

Essay Revision Intensive

Saturday, May 30, 1-4pm EDT

Online via Zoom

Revising is an absolutely essential part of the writing process, but sometimes it can be hard to see your own work with a critical eye—especially a piece you’ve already been working on for a while. During this one-day course, we’ll experiment with different techniques to find a new way into your draft—seeing it with fresh eyes so you can cut away the excess, dig deeper into the richest ideas, and take a fresh approach to structure.

We’ll do a series of short exercises together to get the wheels turning, and then students will work through additional written exercises on their own time after class ends. Through this process, you’ll polish one essay, and learn techniques you can apply whenever you get stuck on future pieces as well. This course is designed for experienced writers who want help shaking things up a bit, as well as newer writers who feel daunted by the prospect of self-editing.

Come prepared with an essay you want to work on (can be any length and any stage of development!).

A recording will be made available for one month after the session, for students who are unable to attend live.

Testimonials

"Relief! The process, steps, and pace of instruction were all great. Everything was clear and easy to apply. It was a wonderful experience to dive back into a frustrating piece and start to feel good about the process again."

"I take a lot of online and in-person workshops despite already having an MFA and I'd never learned how to systematically revise an essay. Lilly's instruction was clear, deliberate, and simple to employ. I left scratching my head, why hadn't I learned this before?"

"This class taught me how to organize my writing and the sequence of exercises we completed were so clear and constructive I went home and finished my essay. I honestly feel like it is done, which has always been my greatest challenge. Lilly is a great instructor and I am beyond grateful that she shared this knowledge with us."

More classes

  • $220

Everything but the Book

Thursdays, May 21-June 4, 3-5pm EDT; $220 Online via Zoom A three-week pre-querying bootcamp to prepare everything you need to land a book deal

  • $99

Art and the Self: Writing Personal/Critical Essays

Saturday, June 13 1-4pm EDT Online via Zoom In this one-day craft intensive, we’ll read and discuss examples of personal/critical essays—essays that engage with art as a way to articulate something personal—and generate new writing that incorporates both art criticism and memoir.

  • $99

Generative Essay Lab (independent study)

Whether you’re in a creative drought and need help coming up with new essay ideas, or you just feel like you keep repeating the same essay forms and want to try something new, this Generative Essay Lab is for you.