Writers in the Mountains
The Catskills - Upstate New York
Imagination Unbound
Est. 1992
Imagination Unbound
est. 1992
Writers in the Mountains (WIM) is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the literary arts in the Catskill Mountains (Upstate New York) and beyond. The organization serves a diverse community of writers and readers, from native-born residents to the summer visitors who migrate to the region from all over the world. In addition to offering a variety of creative writing workshops, WIM hosts numerous literary events and partners with other organizations in the community for the enjoyment of the written word.
ANNOUNCING
To register, email writersinthemountains@gmail.com.
This project is partly funded by the A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation.
WIM Spotlight on Student Writing is an online literary journal published by Writers in the Mountains. Launched in August 2022 to mark the organization's 30th anniversary, WIM Spotlight showcases excellent student work in a range of genres from poetry to fiction to creative nonfiction and micro-memoir. Our mission is to share superlative examples of previously unpublished writing that has emerged from one of our classes or workshops. WIM Spotlight does not accept direct submissions at this time. Each piece published has been hand-selected by a WIM instructor, pending student consent, then submitted to WIM’s Publications Committee for final consideration. WIM Spotlight holds first publication rights for all submissions chosen for publication. Upon publication, the rights revert to the author. We reserve the right to reprint, both in print and digital forms, in the future. Payment will be two copies of any printed form of the author’s work and a course credit of $25 towards a future WIM class.
Our Story
Writers in the Mountains (WIM) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide a nurturing environment for the practice, appreciation and sharing of creative writing.
Founded in 1992 by Shelley A. Barre, the organization serves the entire Catskill region and Hudson Valley area, and offers a variety of creative writing workshops and other events year-round. The quality of our workshops and their affordability attract a wide range of participants from native-born residents to the summer visitors who migrate to the Catskills from all over the world. Our writers come from all backgrounds and levels of experience, and write in various genres and styles. Some are New York Times bestselling authors, and others have never written before.
LISTEN TO THE KAATSCAST LITERARY PODCAST TO LEARN MORE
ABOUT WRITERS IN THE MOUNTAINS
Kaatscast is produced by Silver Hollow Audio and promotes the culture of the Catskills
Hear more in this WIM episode from Kaatscast,
a Catskills podcast from Silver Hollow Audio.
What People Are Saying
Creative Nonfiction Workshop with Anique Taylor
“I’m excited to take this course. Anique provides interesting reading assignments, meditations, writing exercises, and examples that can be applied to your work in progress. The class also offers an opportunity to share your writings and gain valuable feedback from Anique and fellow classmates. It’s a warm and supportive environment. I highly recommend this course.”
- Heather Marsten, Woodstock
Melisse Seleck, Phoenicia
Take A Class
Our workshops are geared toward all styles, genres, and experience. All that is required is a love of language and the desire to tell a story. Those who take our workshops are assured a supportive environment, providing a better understanding of the pleasure of creative writing process. All of us are capable of intellectual and imaginative things, and WIM offers a variety of programs to help you to express your creativity.
In addition to creative writing workshops, WIM hosts the popular Writers Unbound Annual Literary Festival, and the informal Random Context Quarterly Literary Salon, which offers writers in every genre the opportunity to read their work to a welcoming audience in a cozy setting, and network with fellow publishing professionals.
Classes
MODERN LOVE FALL with Elizabeth Koster
September 14 - October 19, 2023
Thursdays
(six sessions)
4 - 6 ET
ONLINE
In this class, you will have the opportunity to complete an essay that you can submit for consideration in the New York Times Modern Love column. Through prompts and exercises, supportive feedback, a study of published essays, and discussions on tips and pitfalls, you will be able to sculpt and hone the story that you need to tell and the world needs to read.
Class limited to ten students.
Class Fee: $140 | REGISTER HERE
MODERN LOVE II with Elizabeth Koster
September 20 - October 25, 2023
Wednesdays
(six sessions)
12 - 2 ET
ONLINE
Modern Love II is open to students who have taken a Modern Love course. In this class, participants will continue to study published essays and work weekly on sculpting and refining work to submit to The New York Times Modern Love column, and other publications. Students who have taken this class in the past have found the instructor’s gentle feedback and encouragement tremendously helpful in their work.
Class Fee: $110 | REGISTER HERE
MINI-ESSAYS AND SHORT STORIES
with Jane Seitel
October 10 - November 14, 2023
Tuesdays
(six sessions)
12 - 2 ET
ONLINE
Mini, micro, flash, personal essays and short shorts may be small, but they’re mighty! Whether you choose to write fiction or nonfiction, the way you express yourself can be crafted into a literary jewel you can pass down to preserve family history, or hone for publication. In class we’ll consider possible enhancements to your pieces, how to make the words sparkle. We’ll read and discuss stellar examples which show the craft. We’ll work on mini warm-up exercises in class that you can use to start your piece at home. We’ll share our new efforts in a nurturing place. We’ll offer appreciations and insights. We’ll suggest possibilities to enhance your essays and stories. By the end of our time together, you’ll have polished work that will delight you.
Class limited to ten students.
Class Fee: $140 | REGISTER HERE
TRAVEL WRITING 101 with Rachel Dickinson
October 25 - November 29, 2023
Wednesdays
(six sessions)
6 - 8 ET
ONLINE
Have you ever met a travel writer and thought "I wish I could do that?" Well, you can. In this course we'll read a variety of travel pieces, and talk about what makes them good (or not so good). We will look at different kinds of travel writing - roundups, essays, hotel/spa reviews. Then we will write a couple of travel pieces - one that features something where you live (you don't have to travel to do good travel writing) and another about some place you have visited. These pieces will be critiqued by the class.
Class limited to ten students.
Class Fee: $140 | REGISTER HERE
Micro: The Divine Detail Editing Class
with Elizabeth Koster
November 29, 2023 - January 3, 2024
Wednesdays
(six sessions)
12 - 2 pm ET
ONLINE
Vladimir Nabokov told his students: “Caress the detail, the divine detail." In this class, through a combination of workshop and generative exercises, you will learn self-editing techniques to improve the musicality, specificity, and power of your (short) prose. Learn how to shape your stories, elevate your language, punctuate for emphasis, pare down sentences, and kill those darlings. Whether you write fiction or nonfiction, you will come away with polished work and a greater sense of how to trust yourself and make your words sing.
Class limited to ten students.
Class Fee: $140 | REGISTER HERE
PREVIOUS CLASSES
MINI-ESSAY AND SHORT STORIES with Jane Seitel
OPENING THE POET's TOOLBOX with Jane Seitel
MODERN LOVE with Elizabeth Koster
MODERN LOVE II with Elizabeth Koster
MICRO: THE DIVINE DETAIL with Elizabeth Koster
MICRO-MEMOIR with Linda Lowen
AMPLIFY AND MAGNIFY - BRAIDED ESSAY with Melissa Holbrook Pierson
THE ZEN OF REVISION with Melissa Holbrook Pierson
PUBLICATION NUTS AND BOLTS with Melissa Holbrook Pierson
FICTION WRITING with Thaddeus Rutkowski
HISTORICAL FICTION WRITING with Sheila Myers
PUBLISHING AND THE WRITER’S LIFE with Anique Sara Taylor
CREATIVE NONFICTION with Anique Sara Taylor
POETRY with Lynn Domina
POETRY FORMS with William Duke
WHEN SPACE SPEAKS with Sarah Blakley-Cartwright
JAZZ-POETRY AND PICTURE POEMS with Stephanie Nikolopoulos
EKPHRASTIC POETRY with Sharon Ruetenik
SPEECHWRITING AND STORYTELLING with Felicity H. Barber
For WIM Instructors and Students:
If you have a new book release, a new article published, a reading or a literary event you'd like to share, please contact us and we will do our best to spread the word.
Write To Us
Thanks for Writing!