Workshops
Learn to write professional op-eds and personal essays with Elizabeth Spiers, a contributing writer for The New York Times opinion section, former columnist at Fortune and Fast Company, and opinion contributor to The Washington Post, Slate, The New Republic, and others.
OPINION WRITING WORKSHOPS
Learn how to use narrative, voice, and journalistic tools to write a opinion column for publication. Instruction includes one online workshop, development of a column-in-progress with a round of editing, tips for pitching specific publications, and a session of one-on-one coaching via Zoom.
This workshop is geared primarily toward professionals (journalists, academics, PR professionals, and people working to develop corporate thought leadership programs) but if you’re not usually a writer and not taking the workshop for work purposes, that’s completely fine.
PERSONAL ESSAY WORKSHOPS
Learn how to use personal narratives to create compelling essays for publication. We’ll discuss how to structure an essay for different lengths and purposes, the role of tone and voice, theme, and argument in first-person writing, as well as the ethics of writing about other people.
Instruction includes one online workshop, and a one-on-one edit of a work in progress.
CREATIVE PRACTICE WORKSHOPS
Where do writers get their ideas? It varies for everyone, but I've developed some systems over the years that have been incredibly useful for me, an Internet brain-rotted person with no attention span. This workshop explores techniques for generating and capturing ideas, and tips for creating a consistent writing and creative practice. This is probably the only writing centric workshop you'll ever do where we'll talk about behavioral science, zines, obscure German information organization systems, and the utility of crayons. You will be encouraged but not required to doodle while we talk. The workshop has been described by very serious academics as "fun."
You'll be asked to bring a few physical materials to the workshop, and the list of what you'll need will be sent the week before.
Note: Instructions for all workshops and Zoom links will be emailed the week before the workshops.
WINTER/SPRING 2026 WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AND REGISTRATION
OPINION WRITING
Opinion Writing | Tuesday, February 10, 2026 | 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm ET (via Zoom) REGISTER HERE $350
Opinion Writing | Tuesday, March 10, 2026 | 9:00 am - 12:00 pm ET (via Zoom) REGISTER HERE $350
Opinion Writing | Tuesday, April 7th, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET (via Zoom) REGISTER HERE $350
PERSONAL ESSAY
Personal Essay | Sunday February 22nd, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET (via Zoom) REGISTER HERE $350
Personal Essay | Sunday March 22nd, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET (via Zoom) REGISTER HERE $350
Personal Essay | Sunday May 3rd, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm ET (via Zoom) REGISTER HERE $350
CREATIVE IDEATION/PRACTICE WORKSHOP
Creative Practice Workshop | Sunday March 8th, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm ET (via Zoom) REGISTER HERE $65
Creative Practice Workshop | Sunday April 5th, 2026 | 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm ET (via Zoom) REGISTER HERE $65
IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE NOTIFIED OF DATES FOR 2026 WORKSHOPS, ADD YOUR EMAIL HERE.