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WOW! Women On Writing Workshops & Classes
invest in yourself, write now
Live Generative Writing Workshops on Ekphrastic Flash Fiction
Ekphrastic Flash Fiction: Writing Small Stories From Visual Art with Lorette C. Luzajic
START DATE: Monday, June 30, 2025
END DATE: Monday, July 28, 2025
DURATION: 5 weeks
LOCATION: Live Zoom Classes and Email
MEETING TIME: Mondays, 3 pm - 5 pm EST
FEEDBACK: Instructor Feedback on Four Drafts and Encouraging Workshop
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Is a picture worth a thousand words? Uncanny that the most widely accepted definition of flash fiction is “a story up to 1000 words.” Writing flash fiction challenges us to bring characters to life and recount their struggles and transformations in a compressed form. It also liberates us to explore, experiment, and play. The immediacy and intensity can be exhilarating for both writer and reader. Ekphrastic flash fiction is fiction inspired by visual art. Art history provides an unlimited supply of visual prompts that can take our stories in unexpected directions. Just a few of the gifts art provides writers include a rich world of fascinating biographies, records of historical events, illustrations of various cultures and their ideas, visuals of every conceivable location or setting, symbolism, and a parade of portraits that can bring our characters to life. Using a variety of art for writing can flex and stretch our creative muscles: finding a way in to an artwork that does not offer an obvious narrative or emotional resonance can sharpen our skills and take us outside of our usual path.
This program is suitable for those who are new to flash fiction and/or ekphrasis, and will offer a terrific foundation review and challenging new ideas and exercises for those who are more experienced as well.
Format:
5 weeks for 120 minutes in person via Zoom each week: Mondays, 3 pm - 5 pm EST. Dates: June 30, and July 7, 14, 21, and 28. The class will include time for sharing in class and peer comments. The instructor will also offer feedback on four drafts of ekphrastic writing via email.
The course includes (optional) 30-minute one-on-one Zoom consultation (an opportunity to ask questions, discuss project development, or just an informal chat.)
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Lorette packs in a wealth of information about the practice of ekphrastic writing. This class is a good balance between background information, writing exercises and sharing work with the class participants. Lorette builds camaraderie and community into her classes. She brings so much fun, joy and insight to her teaching. A valuable experience! ~ Karen Ostrov
This course definitely fulfilled the "Wow" factor already in the first class. ~ Elissa G.
By the end of the first class I was exhausted AND exhilarated and oh so happy to have been there. I'm hooked. ~ Susie W.
Truly, you are one of the best teachers I've ever had. ~ Karen F.
Lorette is one of the most vibrant, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable
workshop leaders I've encountered, and I've worked with about a dozen of the top poets in the U.S., including Naomi Shihab Nye, Ted Kooser, and Jane Hirshfield. No one should get bored by coming back again and again. It's amazing how she keeps the topic fresh: always varied, always full of more prompts and resources to check, and most important of all, always welcoming to everyone who shows up. ~ Alarie T.
I recently attended the Hooked On Ekphrasis class led by Lorette Luzajic. The classes were by far the most educational ones on ekphrastic writing I've ever attended and I plan to incorporate many of her resources into my own teaching. Her personal attention to questions and homework was also most appreciated. ~ Sharon M.
In 2024, while dealing with a serious medical condition, I've taken a wild ride with Lorette C. Luzajic and ekphrasis. Writing in response to art is helping me heal at the soul level, and for that, I am forever grateful. ~ Barbara K.
Whether you're a novice or an expert, Lorette's Hooked on Ekphrasis is for you. It's jam-packed with resources, wisdom, and creativity. The art is well-curated, and the writing prompts are spot on. ~ Nan W.
I agree with all my co-participants in this workshop, Hooked on
Ekphrasis, it was wonderful and wonder filled. Bursting with information, examples, exercises and resources, it has given me a mammoth dose of inspiration and enthusiasm. Thank you so much Lorette. I'm looking forward to more. ~ Kaz O.
This course went well beyond my expectations. Lorette's tranquil demeanor belies the many new ideas and contexts for old ideas she offers. All her examples empower listeners to think of themselves as potential creators. For both beginners and veterans, she provides a fresh, worldly look at the task of writing prose or poetry inspired by art. Lorette has extensive knowledge and empathy, two sterling qualities for teaching . I expect to be a frequent "Zoomer" of Lorette based on my experience. Yes, I am "hooked"! ~ Mary L.
Lorette conducted a wonderful class, with a great deal of encouragement and information provided. The visual prompts included were so evocative, and the discussions lively and insightful. I'll be looking to join another of her class offering in the future! ~ Mary G.
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WEEKS AT A GLANCE:
Week One: Introduction to Flash Fiction and Ekphrasis!
- A brief history of flash fiction.
- A brief history of ekphrasis.
- Creative exercises.
- Assignment to complete and hand in draft from class work, with additional optional reading and writing homework
Week Two: Elements of Flash Fiction
- Elements of flash fiction.
- Ways to achieve compression in story writing.
- Ways to mine for story ideas.
- Creative exercises.
- Assignment to complete and hand in draft from class work, with additional optional reading and writing homework.
Week Three: Forms and Genres of Flash Fiction
- Forms and genres of flash fiction.
- Creative exercises.
- Assignment to complete and hand in draft from class work, with additional optional reading and writing homework.
Week Four: Art as Inspiration
- Using art to inspire narrative.
- Using art to inspire characters.
- Using art to bring your setting to life.
- Creative exercises.
- Assignment to complete and hand in draft from class work, with additional optional reading and writing homework.
Week Four: Submitting and Publishing
- Submitting and publishing ekphrastic flash fiction.
- Creative exercises.
Materials needed: Computer with Internet. Access to Zoom and email.
ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Lorette C. Luzajic is the founding editor of The Ekphrastic Review, the flagship journal of literature inspired by visual art. She also founded The Mackinaw: a journal of prose poetry. She teaches widely on art history, flash fiction, poetry, and ekphrasis. She is an award-winning mixed media collage artist with collectors in forty countries. Her writing has been widely published in journals and anthologies, taught in writing courses from Tennessee to Egypt, translated into Spanish and Urdu, and nominated several times each for the Pushcart Prize, Best American Food Writing, Best Microfictions, and Best of the Net. Two of her stories were honoured as Best Small Fictions. Her passion for art and literature and her eclectic curiosity fuel everything she does. She is a cancer survivor. She lives in Toronto, Canada.
COST: $200, which includes five live Zoom classes, instructor feedback on four drafts, peer workshopping, and discussions. Also includes (optional) 30 minute one-on-one Zoom consultation (an opportunity to ask questions, discuss project development, or just an informal chat.)
BUY NOW: Ekphrastic Flash Fiction: Writing Small Stories From Visual Art with Lorette C. Luzajic (5 weeks, starting 6/30/2025) Limit: 15 students. Early registration is recommended.
This class is closed for registration. Please check here for our current schedule.
For Class Starting 6/30/2025
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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
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Additional Testimonials for Lorette C. Luzajic:
These workshops, with inspiring art prompts and educational descriptions by the brilliant artist and writer Lorette C. Luzajic, can be used like a secret remedy for letting the creative genie out of her bottle. ~ Meg Pokrass
Lorette C. Luzajic is an excellent teacher who welcomes participants in her courses, whether they are beginners or experienced ekphrastic poets. Her knowledge and enthusiasm are contagious. She is always generous in sharing her experience, her background in art and artists and writers. I highly recommend her courses and her website. ~ Lynne Kemen
I signed up for my first workshop with Lorette in 2022 through Women in the Visual and Literary Arts. By the end of that session, I was truly Hooked on Ekphrasis. Since then, I've joined many of her classes, each time deepening my knowledge of art, writing, and self-discovery. Lorette brings a wealth of insight into both art and artists, creating a welcoming space that encourages everyone to engage in ways that feel most authentic. Her workshops offer multiple approaches to exploring and practicing writing about art—whether in poetry, prose, or something entirely unique. Every experience in her classes has enriched my life and strengthened my creative work. ~ Kathi C.
I had never done an Ekphrastic workshop—in fact, had never heard of it before I met Lorette at a flash fiction conference. I joined a workshop out of curiosity and became an instant convert. The art chosen for the workshop was inspiring and the prompts Lorette gave us generated a lot of discussion and writing. There are so many things to love about these workshops from the joy of walking away with several great stories, or at least story ideas, to the excitement of learning about new artists. But the best part is the community—even as a newbie who had never been to one of these workshops before, I felt wholly welcomed by both Lorette and the other participants. ~ Finn Burnett
If you love learning about art and artists and if you love writing, Lorette's workshops are the perfect place to twine those loves together! Comfortable, educational and inspiring, these two enjoyable hours fly by. And like me, you may linger breathing in the riches of The Ekphrastic Review for your heart and soul. ~ Fran Turner
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