Nonfiction | Workshop

4-Week Nonfiction: Making a Living as a Writer, Online and Off

Making the decision to become a writer is hard. Figuring out a way to actually support yourself as a writer is harder. In this class, we’ll discuss the endless niches in the ever-evolving literary landscape and give you tangible strategies for reaching your career goals, whether you want to write about politics or pop culture, whether your style is parody or post-modern.

In this class, you’ll learn how to:

- Perfect a pitch—find your idea, reach out to editors in the right way, and forge long-term relationships

- Build a freelance portfolio that gets you noticed

- Create an online brand via social media in a way that’s not totally cringe-worthy

- Craft a book proposal that will launch you on the road to an agent and publishing deal

* no class July 4th

Dana Schwartz

Dana Schwartz is the author of And We're Off (Penguin/Razorbill). Her work has appeared in the New Yorker, Mental Floss, the Guardian, the New York Observer, MTV News, and VICE. When she's not on Twitter as one of her parody accounts (@GuyInYourMFA and @DystopianYA), she's on Twitter as herself (@DanaSchwartzzz), sharing far too much personal information to ever pull off the Thomas-Pynchon-reclusive-author thing. She currently lives in New York City.

Testimonials

“Few people have a sense for stories and how to tell them like Dana Schwartz. As a great teacher, she is a close reader, and will guide you in practical steps through improving your work and extending its existing strengths. I was often surprised by her ability to see virtues in a work that even its writer was ignorant to. Everything she reads comes out better in the end.”

former student

“Dana has been able to motivate me to write like no one else. She gives specific feedback, direction, and insight so that I can't help writing more pieces and better pieces. She makes the arduous process of refining and editing and finding the crux of a piece engaging and even fun! Her confidence and desire to share her skills are infectious. I can't think of a better young writing mentor.”

former student

"Funny, chock full of heart and wanderlust, AND WE'RE OFF feels like traveling with a good friend. A fun debut with a superb voice."

Adi Alsaid author of LET'S GET LOST and NEVER ALWAYS SOMETIMES

“An engaging and heartfelt book. Dana Schwartz truly knows what it is to be young and talented.”

Mara Wilson author of WHERE AM I NOW?

“Fun, poignant, and funny. I want to travel with Dana, and after reading this, so will you.”

Maureen Johnson NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author

“A winsome, hilarious tale about losing the map and finding a better way to a happy ending. I loved it!”

Jennifer Weiner #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author

"A joyous contemporary YA novel by journalist and Guy in Your MFA Twitter mastermind Dana Schwartz, AND WE'RE OFF is a tale of travel, romance, and plenty of mother-daughter banter. That this will be the first book in a long line of delightful literature from wunderkind Schwartz seems inevitable and lovely."

VULTURE (NEW YORK MAGAZINE)