Whether you’re a beginner, an expert, or somewhere in between, looking for fiction, poetry, nonfiction or something else, chances are we have a class or workshop for you. Read on to learn about IWC classes and workshops. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to reach out.
About IWC Classes & Workshops
The Indiana Writers Center offers a variety of courses in all genres of writing, varying in length from a single session to an eight-week course. Staples of our curriculum include introduction to fiction, short story writing, poetry workshops, novel workshops and essay writing. In addition, we frequently offer additional workshops and classes in topics such as:
- Op-ed writing
- Mystery writing
- Travel writing
- Personal memoirs
- Editing and proofreading
- Business writing
- Getting published
- And more!
If you don’t see what you’re looking for in our course catalogue, check back later. We’re adding new classes and workshops all the time. Or, if there’s a class you’d like us to offer, let us know. We welcome your suggestions.
Location
Unless otherwise noted, all classes and workshops are held in the IWC classroom, located in the Basile Opera Center, 4011 N Pennsylvania St, Indianapolis, IN 46205, or on Zoom.
Accessibility
It is our expectation that all meetings and events sponsored by Indiana Writers Center are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Taking care to create an accessible event benefits not only individuals with visible or known disabilities, but also helps to ensure that all participants/attendees, including individuals with non-obvious disabilities and/or chronic health conditions, and people of all ages and body types, are able to fully engage in the program. For questions, concerns, or requests regarding access, please email sarah@indianawriters.org, or use our CONTACT page. We appreciate requests to be made at least seven days in advance.
We have over an acre of free parking, with handicap parking, and an access ramp at our entrance. There are no steps to get to our offices and classroom.
Registration
Online registration, membership purchases, and membership renewals is preferred. Due to COVID19 the staff are working remote. Online registration is the fastest and most effective way to ensure that you are signed up! We offer online registration and payment for all our classes and workshops. When you find a class you like in the course catalogue, click the title or picture. This will take you to a full class summary. To register online, add the class to your cart and proceed to checkout to pay online when you are ready. If you’d like to pay for a class by cash or check, you may download and print our registration form and mail it with your payment. Mail form and payment to:
Indiana Writers Center
4011 N Pennsylvania Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46205
If you are interested in a class or workshop, we encourage you to sign up as soon as possible. Our instructors require a minimum number of registrations for each class. You will receive a prompt refund of your payment if a class is canceled.
While last-minute sign-ups and walk-ins are welcome, people are sometimes disappointed to learn that a class has been canceled for lack of enrollment by the time they decide to attend. Many times a single registration can make the difference between a class being held or being cancelled, so please help us by signing up for a class at least 5 days before it is scheduled to occur.
NOTE: Classes are removed from the website when they are canceled or filled to capacity.
View our complete CLASS REGISTRATION POLICY for information about withdrawing, cancellations, and more.
Who should take an IWC workshop?
Who should take one of our workshops? Everyone. Writing is hard work. It requires patience and practice. That’s why we offer classes and workshops for writers at every level, from those who’ve never set pen to paper to published writers who want some hands-on critique and feedback with peers. While many of our courses are designed to fit the needs of all type of writers, our course catalogue is also searchable by level: beginner, intermediate and advanced.
Beginner
Beginner level classes are designed to help you get started with your writing project, either with idea formulation, understanding genre and writing elements, or just getting to know yourself better as a writer.
Intermediate
Intermediate workshops build on skills developed in beginner level courses, helping writers more fully explore their voice. These workshops are great for writers who already have personal writing projects in process.
Advanced
Advanced workshops delve deeper into the craft of writing. These workshops are hands-on, requiring a greater level of participation and commitment from attendees. They sometimes require submission of manuscripts or other materials in advance.
Why take an IWC class or workshop?
Quality: Our faculty is comprised of university professors and seasoned, professional writers across many disciplines who are passionate about teaching. See a full list of our teaching faculty.
Value: As a nonprofit organization, the IWC’s operating costs are supported by donations and grants. This allows us to keep our costs low and our classes more accessible to the community. Many of our students find our classes and workshops to be more affordable (especially at the discounted member rate) than those offered at local colleges and universities, without sacrificing the quality of content or instruction.
Flexibility & Focus: Our courses don’t operate on a one-size-fits-all schedule. We offer long classes (4 sessions or more) and short classes (1-3 sessions), evenings and weekends, so you can choose exactly what fits into your schedule. Plus, many of our courses are very focused (mystery writing, developing characters, flash fiction, etc.) so you can really dig into the topic you’re interested in.
We’re constantly updating our course catalogue to offer a broad range of classes and workshops. Still have questions about IWC classes and workshops? Or, don’t see what you want? Check back, or let us know what you’re looking for.