Craft of Creative Writing

We'll begin with the idea that writing is a way of using metaphor to make an argument about how the world works. Do you want to write stories, non-fiction, or poetry? Do you write already, but want to explore new forms? The forms we write in may depend on the audience we want to reach, the conventions of the medium, the occasion, or writer’s preference, but it is a choice. And we make the best choices when we're aware of our options. Each session in this series will contain (3) parts:

1. Writing: Exploring what you like and why
2. Revising: Exploring what you want to say and how
3. Beyond: Exploring where you want it to go and how

Each of these parts involve reading, writing, and breaking down pieces alongside the methods, mediums, and forms of publication that they are a part of. This is a space to dive deeper into a genre of writing or explore new genres. You may encounter the work of Jenny Zhang alongside James Baldwin and Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Lidia Yuknavitch with a scene from Poor Things, or Maggie Nelson in the context of W.E.B DuBois.

We will also share resources for building a writing practice each session.

Upcoming Workshops

Teaching Artists

Kevin Dublin (Jun 24, Jul 1, Jul 8) is an educator, economic justice advocate, and poet. As Director of Litquake’s Elder Writing Project & founder of The Living Room, he’s committed to helping nurture emerging writers of all ages. He is a Writers Studio Ralph Dickey Scholar and has received fellowships, grants, and awards from the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (YBCA), Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), Association of Writers & Writing Programs, Martha’s Vineyard Institute of Creative Writing, and more. His words have recently appeared in The San Franciscan, Cincinnati Review, & NCLR. Kevin is the author of How to Fall in Love in San Diego (Finishing Line Press, 2017) and Eulogy (Raven & Wren Press, 2023). He resides in San Francisco, holds an MFA from San Diego State, and for a little Black boy from Smithfield, NC, believes he has been brought a mighty long way.

What is the TLR Writing Workshop Style?

The Living Room Writing Workshops are in a unique "Montage Style." This means that each sequence of workshops has a unifying theme, i.e. Crafting a Poetry Practice or Craft of Creative Writing, but each week is independent. This means you don't need to attend all three, but it can be beneficial. The Montage Style also means that each 3 hour workshop has 2-3 sections and usually 2-3 instructors with different lessons and perspectives. All instructors are published writers who perform or showcase their work in public.

The Living Room SF is focused on cultivating writers and writing community, so you can expect the workshops to be part craft instruction, part active writing exercises, and part writing practice. There will be resources shared for building your life as a writer in each section.

Should I register or apply for a scholarship?

Accessibility is important to us, so our workshops are scholarship-first. Meaning, we prioritize cost-free and half-off scholarships of our workshops for writers who have a less-than-stable income and identify as BIPOC, neurodivergent, senior, LGBTQ+, or formerly-incarcerated. If that's an option for you, then apply. The application will only close when all scholarship slots have been filled across sessions. Direct registrations will also close when they have been filled. If you can pay the small registration fee, it helps support our instructors and other Living Room projects.

How do scholarships work?

Each workshop is capped at 12 participants. At least half of those spaces are reserved for those who have scholarships of some kind. Scholarships take into account the Living Room SF's mission and priotity communities. Applications close the day after the sequence begins. Scholarships are also on a first come, first served basis. Please apply early if interested. If you have any questions, use the contact form.

What is on the scholarship application?

• Do you have a less than stable income?
• Do you identify as a writer in a historically underrepresented community: BIPOC, neurodivergent, senior, LGBTQ+, or formerly-incarcerated?
• What would you like to gain from this workshop? (under 50 words)
• Field to include a link to a writing sample

Where do the workshops take place?

At Syzygy SF, which is at the intersection of 15th Street and South Van Ness. Walk over or bike if you're in the neighborhood (bike rack available). You can take BART to 16th & Mission and walk. There are also usually a few parking spots in a 2 block radius.