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WOW! Women On Writing Workshops & Classes
invest in yourself, write now
Live Zoom Workshops on Revision
Get Your Erasers Ready! It's Rewriting Time with Christy O'Callaghan
START DATE: Thursday, January 16, 2025
END DATE: Thursday, February 6, 2025
DURATION: 4 weeks
LOCATION: Live Video Meeting Classes (Google Meet)
MEETING TIME: Thursdays, 7 pm - 8:30 pm EST
FEEDBACK: Instructor Feedback and Encouraging Peer Workshop
COURSE DESCRIPTION: The first draft is a flush of excitement and energy, much like meeting a new romantic interest or an extra glass of something fun. Rewriting is a long-term relationship. It’s time to really meet the characters, get to know them inside and out, and reread that sentence or paragraph over and over, only to cut it for the good of the piece. This class will ask questions and use different techniques to rethink a piece of prose or a chapter that may be fresh or may have been sitting in the computer for a while.
This class is active and engaging with your work and the rest of the classes. You will rework one piece using different techniques that can be applied to future rewriting. Classmates will offer feedback on each other’s work. This class is excellent for focusing on a shorter piece of fiction or creative non-fiction so you can rewrite it multiple times. There will also be a one-on-one session in which we will talk about the piece.
Goal:
Students will rewrite a short story, chapter, or personal essay in multiple ways, using different techniques to bring the piece and their rewriting skills to a new level. This is an excellent class for preparing a work for submission or hopefully answering the question, “Why does this keep getting rejected?”
Format:
4 weeks for 90 minutes in person via Google Meet each week. (Dates: January 16, 23, and 30, and February 6. Time: 7 - 8:30 pm EST.) We will use a shared space on Google Docs to share, read, and review each other’s work. We will discuss the pieces when we meet, what we enjoyed, and possibilities for consideration. Sometimes, other people can see the mistakes the writer can’t. Plus, there will be an additional one-on-one meeting with me to discuss their work.
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Christy is a remarkable teacher! She's warm, friendly and creates a safe space for writers to try new things. I loved learning from her, and she chose wonderful passages for our readings and helpful writing prompts. I would definitely like to take more classes with her! ~ Jennifer Raudenbush, WOW! Student
Christy is a great instructor. She knows her material and loves to teach and discuss it. She made everyone feel like they were doing well with unfamiliar material and helped us to really appreciate it. She gave good feedback and we all learned to give feedback as that was part of the course. This course had all the elements: teaching every week, material to read and comment on, a prompt for weekly writing and giving feedback to the other participants. I would recommend this course to anyone interested in the topic as she made it so much fun! ~ WOW! Student
Christy was a fun instructor who introduced us to the many sides of Magical Realism. She was informative, funny and encouraging, allowing us to try flexing our writing muscles to try a different style of writing. I had written some magical realism stories before, but do feel I tried some new approaches thanks to Christy's course. Also, the Canva slides were beautifully done, so pleasing to read with their legibility and beautiful illustrations. Just had to mention that since I studied graphic design and worked as a desktop publisher for many years so I was impressed by them. I hope to see more WOW courses given by Christy in future. ~ Cathy Graham, WOW! Student
As a writing guide, Christy has a way of bringing out the extraordinary. She has a keen eye for the strange and significant detail, a gut sense for the big picture, and the skills to help bring it all together. Christy’s enthusiasm for storytelling, her natural sense of wonder, and her expertise as a guide all combined to help conjure the magic—both in my story and in the workshop environment. ~ Vix G.
It comes naturally to Christy to encourage and invest in other writers' stories. Incisive and kind, and thoroughly enthusiastic about the music and magic of words, she has an ear for what naturally resonates in a draft. Along the way, she reminds you that it is beautiful and inspiring to be a writer, no matter where you are in your journey. ~ Jenn H.
I've worked with Christy O'Callaghan as an editor and author. Her dedication to building, uplifting, and sustaining a vibrant writing community is both inspiring in its success and infuriating in how easy she makes it. I mean this literally. I've seen her jump into a conversation with a new author she's never met before and, in two minutes, was providing that author with advice for pursuing workshops and publication venues based on that author's interests, experiences, and writing goals. This isn't networking but straight-up kindness for other writers. She shows up as a writer and reader. She sees community-building as a way of life, not just as a tool. It's actually kind of spooky. ~ Keene S.
Christy's grasp of story, on how language is being used, on the heart of the narrative, is simultaneously incisive and generous. She is incredible in guiding a writer's work to achieve its intention. ~ Tayyba Maya K.
I think anyone who takes Christy's class will be inspired to write strange stories infused with magic. Sometimes it takes a writer/teacher who has delved into such mysterious tales to lead the way. Christy knows her "stuff" and the way. I'd go anywhere with her. ~ Connie W.
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WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week One: Introduction – Hello, Mr. Eraser and Ms. Delete Button
- We will get to know each other and each person’s goals for their work.
- Before the class begins, everyone will share the piece they will work on for the class. These will be shorter pieces to keep it manageable for both rewriting and critiquing.
- Everyone will have read everyone else’s piece and will provide guided feedback.
- We will discuss how to approach the first round of rewriting.
- We will also talk about techniques from amazing authors.
Week Two: Beginning, Middle, End, and POV
- After rewriting and reviewing each other’s work, we will discuss how the week went, what was hard and easy, and where you got stuck.
- We will talk about the pieces’ different sections and their purpose.
- We will review changes that have been made in each other’s work.
Week Three: Cut It Out
- It’s time to act like an elementary school kid with our scissors and tape. What can be cut, and what can be moved around?
- We will check in to see how it’s going. Talk about what it’s like to be in the long-term rewriting process and how not to get bored and deal with frustration.
- We will set up a time to meet one on one.
Week Four: Make it Vivid!
- This week, we’ll focus on the details. What makes readers care about and engage with a piece of writing?
- We will focus on how to elevate and enhance a piece of writing.
- Time to make it vivid!
Materials needed: Computer with Internet. Access to Video and Google Docs. A camera if participants want to share photos.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Christy O’Callaghan is a writer and Developmental Editor with an MA in English from SUNY Albany. She is Editor in Chief of Barzakh Literary Magazine and the 2023 SUNY Thayer Arts Fellowship finalist for writing. She spent twenty-two years in community organizing and education. Christy has an extreme love of strange stories, plants, and lore. Her favorite pastimes include hiking and snowshoeing while listening to horror fiction podcasts, swimming with her waterproof iPod, gardening, botanical illustrations, reading, and collecting sea glass. Her work has appeared in The Los Angeles Review, Great Weather for Media, Splash! with Haunted Waters Press, Flyway Journal, Trolley Journal, Sonder Review, Chestnut Review, and more. For information about her editing services and a complete list of her publications, visit christyflutterby.com.
COST: $185, which includes four live video classes, instructor feedback, group workshopping, and discussions.
BUY NOW: Get Your Erasers Ready! It’s Rewriting Time with Christy O’Callaghan (4 weeks, starting 1/16/2025) Limit: 5 students. Early registration is recommended.
Registration is closed. Please check here for our current schedule.
For Class Session Starting 1/16/2025
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Additional Testimonials for Christy O'Callaghan:
Christy is an exceptionally gifted writer. My experience with her work has always left me impressed not only with her literary skill but with her capacity for her writing to evoke compassion and connection in her reader. She's a rare artist, one who can express herself with vulnerability and yet maintain the artistry of her craft. It's difficult to do both, and Christy walks that line exquisitely. Her gifts at editing are no less impressive. Christy is a careful and thoughtful reader, one who can critique with both kindness and precision. She is careful to point out the strengths in a piece so that the writer knows what's working and can build on it, yet she is also able to provide insight into how the piece can be improved. All this she does with the expertise of a seasoned mentor. She feels a responsibility to help a writer realize their potential, both in their art and in themselves, a commitment that benefits anyone who works with her. ~ Naomi K.
Christy O’Callaghan-Leue edited my first book of poetry. Her direct and truthful style made it a very pleasant process. She pushed me to be concise and intentional with my words while staying in alignment with their message. I look forward to working with her on more projects in the future. She is timely and professional, and she communicates well. ~ Nakeesha Charles, 101 Untitled Pieces
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Notes: Upon successful completion of payment, your name, email address, and contact info will be submitted to your instructor.
Questions? Email Marcia & Angela at: classroom[at]wow-womenonwriting[dot]com
Click to View Full List of Classes
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