Ever wondered how your favorite writers are able to stitch together an unputdownable essay? I did, too. So I studied my favorite essays for years, literally took them apart, line by line, scene by scene, until I discovered just what made them tick.
The good news is that I’ve discovered a secret (or two) that I’d like to share with you. This will save you from much of the guess work and revision headaches that come with drafting a successful longform essay.
“Shaping Creative Nonfiction with a Narrative Arc,” a two-hour webinar hosted by Women on Writing, features special readings, writing prompts, and the revelation of the secret behind a successful narrative arc, the glue that magically hooks the reader, followed by an exercise to help you develop your own. During our time together, I’ll also offer an overview of current markets publishing creative nonfiction, and by the end of class, you’ll have all the tools you need to finish your essay and a schedule of submission deadlines so you can share your words with the world. For an extra fee, I’ll critique up to 3 pages of your work-in-progress and give you a targeted submission recommendation within two weeks of the class.
As with all my webinars, I promise it won’t be all work. We’ll also laugh and have our share of fun! I’d love to see you there, so if you’re interested, please register here.
Special note: Thank you to everyone who kindly signed up for “The Poetry Express” webinar earlier this month. We had a blast, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the terrific poems generated during this event. In fact, it was so successful that we’re planning “The Poetry Express II,” in the fall, complete with all-new prompts and even more inspiration poems! Stay tuned for the details.
In the meantime, take care, and I wish you a productive summer of writing!
FEEDBACK: The last 15 minutes of the lecture will be open to Q&A.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Do you long to write poetry but have always been intimidated? Or maybe you’re an experienced poet who just needs a little extra zoom. Either way, you’re invited to hop aboard the “Poetry Express” (exclusively offered through Women on Writing) where you’ll learn a nifty technique for writing an engaging free verse poem on the spot, followed by four additional prompts to generate even more. Your “ticket” will also include editing tips to sharpen your poems, along with an overview of markets and contests and best practice poetry submission tips that will significantly increase your odds of publication.
This live Zoom webinar starts and ends on Wednesday, May 14, 2025.
Time: 11 AM – 1 PM PT | 12-2 PM MT | 1-3 PM CT | 2-4 PM ET
The webinar can be viewed on a tablet, phone, or computer (both Mac and PC). The class will be recorded available for anyone who would prefer to view it at a different time and date.
CLASS AT A GLANCE:
Live Webinar: Poetry Express: Five Poems in Two Hours
Duration: 2 Hours
All aboard! In this express two-hour class, I’ll share excerpts from notable published poems that will inspire you to write your own. I’ll introduce you to the 3-step “Poetry Express” prompt guaranteed to bust through inhibition and help you generate an instant poem, followed by four equally inspirational prompts to write even more. I’ll then offer tips and tricks to help you polish your poems with an aim toward publication, along with an overview of current markets. By the end of class, you’ll have five draft poems and a schedule of submission deadlines, plus take-away wisdom to help you establish a lifelong poetry habit. For an extra fee, you can have your work critiqued me and receive targeted submission recommendations within two weeks of the class.
Topics covered include:
Overview – why you should write poetry
A review of published poetry to inspire you
3-Step “Poetry Express” Prompt (board a train, grab a window seat, and enjoy the ride!)
Four additional prompts to generate more instant poems
Tips to edit your poems for publication on matters of sound, turn, punctuation, line breaks, and titles
Overview of contests and markets, including best practice submission tips just for poetry
Tips and a list of recommended books to keep your poetry train going
Q & A
Materials Needed: Your favorite writing implement (pen, pencil, writing pad or keyboard) and your imagination.
ABOUT ME: Ashley Harris is a poet and teacher whose first poetry collection, Waiting for the Wood Thrush, described by acclaimed poet Ruth Moose as “witty, wise and overflowing with life and color” debuted in 2019 (Finishing Line Press). She has won the Mary Ruffin Poole Heritage Award from the North Carolina Poetry Society for her poem “A Widow on Chester Street,” and has written poetry for O. Henry Magazine, The Phoenix, Naugatuck River Review, Broad River Review, Kakalak, among many others. Since 2021, she’s served as a critique editor and judge for WOW’s quarterly fiction and nonfiction contests, and her favorite hobby, by far, is helping other writers achieve their publication dreams.
POETRY EXPRESS with Ashley Harris (Wednesday, May 14, 2025, 2pm – 4pm ET) Limit: 25 students. Early registration is recommended.
COST:$40, which includes one two-hour webinar with a 15-minute Q&A with me.
OPTIONAL CRITIQUE ADD-ON:A personal critique from me of two poems (one-page limit each) plus submission recommendations for $40 ($80 total).
When you hear the word “research,” it sounds an awful lot like hard work, doesn’t it? Well, guess what? It doesn’t have to be. If you’re interested in how to bring the world into your creative nonfiction, join me and Charlotte Lit for a Zoom workshop on Wednesday, February 26 from 6 – 8 p.m. We’ll discuss fun ways to add resonance to your creative nonfiction through articles, books, television, movies, music, and more! Sign up here, and I look forward to seeing you there!
Please join me and Charlotte Lit on Monday, October 14 from 6 – 8 p.m. for a special Zoom event aiding the recovery of Western North Carolina from the devastation of Hurricane Helene. I’ll be reading two poems, “Second Chance Garden” and “Max the Husky Reads Tolstoy” at about 7 p.m. Hope to see you then!
Writers, I hope that you’re as inspired by spring as I am! For April, I was honored to write the newsletter introduction for the acclaimed Women on Writing community. I’m reprinting it here below with a link to the complete edition at the end.
While we never had more than snow flurries where I live, it’s been a long winter—wet, gray, and cold. So last week when I brushed away the dead leaves from my hydrangeas, I was thrilled to see new shoots emerging from the roots.
And since we’ve had a warm spring so far, my strawberry plants and roses have also sprouted new leaves. Hallelujah! It made me wonder—what writing inspiration longs to spring up from my dormant imagination?
With my knees in the dirt, prepping flower, berry, and vegetable beds for another busy year of gardening, I couldn’t help observing even more parallels to writing. Just for you, I’ve compiled a special list of chores to stimulate your own writing “buds” for a productive literary “spring” of your own. But no worries, very little physical labor is required. These are fun chores.
Rake. Clear away the winter detritus and make way for sunshine! If your desk is covered by a blanket of odds and ends—old sticky notes, tattered magazine clippings and unopened junk mail—it’s time to rake them to the recycle bin. Or maybe the files on your laptop need a little organization—consolidation, deletion, or migration to a thumb drive. Whether it’s your physical or virtual space, leave plenty of room for fresh new files to sprout and grow.
Sow. Now the real fun begins! You’ve cleaned your literary “garden” and you’re ready to “sow” your own seeds of inspiration. Look out the window and observe the natural world. Or better yet, stroll outside. Take a few moments to describe the swelling leaf buds of the trees. Sniff the nascent flowers of fruit blossoms such as peach or plum. Observe the acrobatic feats of the squirrels. Record these impressions as you make them and be sure to note any themes that come to mind—such as rebirth, recovery, new beginnings. Ask yourself how these ideas might influence your own writing—the motivations of yourself (nonfiction) or your characters (fiction).
Fertilize. I look forward to many new blooms this year from my favorite roses, both old and new, such as “Summer Romance,’ “Scepter’d Isle,” and “The Poet’s Wife.” But unless I deliver a healthy dose of food, such as aged cow manure and alfalfa, they’ll be late to flower and they may never truly flourish. The same goes for writers. Are you as healthy as you can be? I’ll admit to indulging in some major comfort food during the winter doldrums, but now it’s time to fortify myself with healthier fare. More greens, less sugar, and more fiber. And in order to energize myself for writing, I need to get more rest. Take some time to set (or recommit to) habits that strengthen your mind and body.
Water. For the first time, I’m planting perennials such as chives, verbena, and armeria. These tender plants will require regular watering to establish firm roots and truly thrive. Humans, like plants, require the most basic element of all to exist—good ole H20. Are you properly hydrated? Last year, I didn’t drink enough water and the brisk winds and sun exposure dehydrated me, leading to a nasty eye infection and the inability to write for two weeks. I’m not letting that happen again! It should go without saying, but since I’m the worst offender, I’ll say it again. While writing, whether you’re thirsty or not, do yourself a favor and keep a tumbler of water nearby and sip frequently.
Nurture. This year I’ve planted more roses than I should, but as you can probably tell, I’m more than a little obsessed with them. Tending these notoriously difficult bushes, which are subject to a host of diseases in the South, will be challenging, but I remind myself that nothing of value comes easy. In terms of writing, I must keep the commitments I make to myself, whether it’s to finish that poem, start that essay, or meet the deadline to write that blog entry! In other words, keep the faith. Believe in yourself. Don’t let the demands of the external world interfere with your writing.
Share. Last year, I was blessed with so many strawberries that I frequently invited my friends over to pick all the fruit they wanted. Later, I divided the plants, potted them, and shared them with my fellow gardeners. Giving away the bounty of nature made me so happy. This act reminds me of the importance of submission. Nurture the world with your writing and send it out for others to savor. In a similar spirit, comment on the writing of others and encourage them in their work. Just like my strawberries, I promise that the rewards will only continue to multiply!
Repeat. Now that you’ve raked, sowed, fertilized, watered, nurtured and shared, it’s time to repeat all of the above! The first frost is months away, so make the most of the spring (and summer) to cultivate your own “literary” garden. I predict that you’ll enjoy “blooms” for not just months, but for many years to come.
For more writing advice, along with a “wheelbarrow” full of submission markets, check out the complete April 2024 WOW newsletter.
This month I was honored to pen the introduction to the November newsletter for Women on Writing, the prestigious and inspirational writing community. I’m reprinting it here, in the hopes that my fellow writing friends will take advantage of National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo).
I was a skeptic. To put it mildly. In other words, I was the ultimate NaNoNayer (NaNo-Naysayer ☹). The idea had always seemed a little silly to me. Why write my heart out in November when technically I could do that all year long? And what’s with all the badges, tools, and community building? As an adult, I should be able to manage myself without all the hoopla, right? Besides, I wasn’t working on a novel anyway.
The truth is that I didn’t write my heart out all year long. And I couldn’t manage myself. In fact, among freelancing, taking care of three dogs, tending a garden, volunteering at church, and the normal kerfuffle of life, it was all I could do to set aside a few hours a week to finish a single essay. I needed a little push. In fact, I had been talking so long about finishing my memoir that the eyes of my writer friends glazed over every time I brought it up. So, when I found out that NaNoWriMo isn’t just for novelists, I decided to give it a try.
All writers, whether novelists, poets, playwrights, screenwriters, essayists and memoirists, are welcome at NaNoWriMo. In fact, anyone aiming to write 50,000 words toward any project will find something of value at NaNoWriMo, from motivation and accountability to making new friends and gaining new skills.
Last November, I cleared my calendar and finally started pulling together the pieces I planned for my book, which would be a memoir in essays exploring love, faith, and healing. Although I’d already written many of the pieces, I had never seen them all together in the same file. Doing so gave me the opportunity to look at them as a unit, edit and tighten, as well as plan new bridge essays to cover any holes. I also created a framework that tied together the chronological arc of the narrative—my seven years of growing cherries. Before November ended, I even had time to begin drafting a few of the new pieces. Along the way I logged onto NaNoWriMo regularly, joined a regional group, and began checking in, and lo and behold, the word count on my dashboard started to tick up and up and up! It was a true NaNo-palooza!
At the end of the month, the momentum continued. Over the next year, I concentrated on finalizing my new essays and wrote even more, ending up with a total of 22. Later, I turned back to my behemoth of a manuscript, and that’s when I re-discovered my draft framing document. This turned into the four thematic sections of “Plant,” “Believe,” “Pollinate,” and “Love,” and presto, I suddenly had a table of contents and my essays became actual chapters. Thanks to NaNoWriMo, I now have a 200-page manuscript that I’m currently circulating among my writing partners and will be submitting for publication.
Are you a diehard NaNoficionado? Or like me, are you on the fence? Either way, the tips in this column are meant to help you take advantage of NaNoWriMo and meet your own writing goals.
Think big. As mentioned before, you don’t have to use this time to write a novel, but you sure can. This is perfect for writers like me who have a short story that yearns to be a novella or longer. Maybe you have a juicy flash fiction that’s just itching to be part of a collection. Or a poetry chapbook. Perhaps you have an essay collection, or a memoir, or like me, maybe both. Whatever you’re working on, take it to the limit, and imagine what you might do with 50K words. As for me, it wasn’t the writing itself that intimidated me. I suffered from the age-old commitment phobia. But once I gave myself permission to think BIG and actually envision my work as a book, the writing itself was easy.
Go a little wild. Consider your NaNoWriMo experience as your personal sandbox. This is your chance to break personal boundaries and do something new. For example, you could try writing in second person or maybe in present tense. Or perhaps you could branch out and turn a nonfiction article into the background for a novel or short story. Or shift a poem into an essay, one of my favorite “makeovers.” In my case, I literally went a little wild. With the title, that is. Calling my book “Cherry Wild, a Memoir in Essays” sets the tone from the beginning, reinforcing the theme of my reconnection with nature.
Quash the critic. The critic inside my head was NOT invited to my NaNoWriMo. While she will come in handy as I finetune my synopsis and coalesce all the feedback, I promptly kicked her out the door during my brainstorming and writing sessions. During the month of November, make sure that your creative and imaginative writer self is firmly in charge, NOT the critical editor. Send her on a month-long cruise! See ya later, you naughty infiltrator!
Meet a new writer. While you can easily connect with friends who are also part of NaNoWriMo by sharing your usernames, you can also meet new writers. In the “My Community” tab, you will find both discussion forums and regional groups to join. NaNoWriMo also sponsors specialized virtual meet-ups for writers of similar backgrounds or interests.
Check in. Not only did I enjoy entering my word count into my dashboard and watching it rise, I loved keeping tabs on the progress of my writer friends. Witnessing their successes inspired me to work that much harder, and vice versa. Under the “My NaNoWriMo” tab you’ll see links to “My Buddies.” Here is where you can easily see the word counts of your friends and compare theirs to your own.
Get support. This year NaNoWriMo offers more support than ever before, from yoga for writers to guidance on all genres, from fiction to memoir. The “Resource Hub” (under the “Writer’s Resources” tab) is your headquarters for support, including pep talks from celebrated writers and links to writing tips and exercises to keep your creative juices flowing.
Celebrate! Once you begin reaching your writing goals, you’ll automatically rack up badges for important milestones, such as the 5K and 40K word marks. You can also award yourself a bevy of personal achievement badges for efforts such as planning, “pantsing,” and eureka moments. In addition, you may expect frequent kudos from your writing buddies, which will also keep you motivated every step of the way.
Ready to dive in? I hope so! My NaNo handle is “memwarrior” and I’d be honored to be your writing buddy. I hope to get some traction on a couple of new projects, including a creepy seaside novella. But if you’re still not sure, check out NaNo Prep, which offers a crash course in essential elements such as story development and time management.
Writers! Let’s finish 2023 on a strong note. Join me and Charlotte Lit on Tuesday, November 7, from 6 – 8 p.m. for a Zoom class on where and how to publish your short pieces. We’ll survey the most exciting open calls and contests seeking your work now, whether poetry, fiction, nonfiction or hybrid.
Ashley Harris 