writing tips – Ashley Harris

Let’s Write Some Creative Nonfiction! Join me on Friday, March 20, 2026 for a Special Workshop!

Posted on February 28, 2026 by Ashley Harris

Writers! I don’t know about you, but my webinar for Women on Writing, “Writing is for the Birds,” on February 17 sure made me ready for spring! We had a great session with students from all across the United States, and even 2 from the United Kingdom! I was so honored to be among such talented people — the fact that they loved birds as much as I did was the icing on the cake. (Make that the “suet” in the cake). 🙂

On March 20, I’m leading an encore presentation of my popular workshop, “Shaping Creative Nonfiction with a Narrative Arc,” where we’ll discuss my tried-and-true method of how to write a compelling nonfiction piece that readers simply can’t put down. And for all the bird lovers out there, at least one of our sample readings will feature some of our favorite avian friends — the ruby-throated hummingbird.

SHAPING CREATIVE NONFICTION WITH A NARRATIVE ARC with Ashley Harris

WEBINAR DATE: Friday, March 20, 2026

WEBINAR TIME: 2pm – 4pm ET

DURATION: 2 Hours

LOCATION: Live webinar via Zoom

FEEDBACK: The last 15 minutes of the lecture will be open to Q&A. Students can also send questions ahead of time, to be addressed during the lecture.

COURSE DESCRIPTION: So, you’re fascinated with backyard birds. Or breadmaking. Or growing figs. How do you write an essay that weaves your obsessions with larger questions such as joy, friendship, or even grief? It’s easy—employ the power of the narrative arc, a secret weapon that most writing courses never cover. In this class, we’ll use short writing prompts to help you identify your most urgent passion and then we’ll cover an easy technique that will bring your essay to life with narration. Finally, we’ll discuss tips for completing, polishing, and submitting your work for publication.

What other writers have said: “Ashley, I thought your class (Shaping Nonfiction) was fabulous! I’m thrilled I did sign up and look forward to working with you more. So exciting!” —Mary Anne Trause

“Thanks so much, Ashley!! This was super helpful and enjoyable, and I can’t wait to get started using your ideas and tips. I’ve read a number of books on writing technique and have taken quite a few writing courses. I am also a professional content editor. I love “nuts and bolts” material, and your workshop did not disappoint!” —Marlene Martzke

“Ashley, thanks so much for a wonderful learning experience. Your prompts have given me ideas for multiple essays. I’m hoping to take your humor workshop, too.”—Diane Judge

“Thanks for the recording of Shaping Creative Nonfiction with a Narrative Arc. I listen and then I watch and listen again. I’m revising a memoir. Your suggestions are very helpful. Hoping I’m on the right track! I’ve done many workshops on Zoom. Yours by far has been the most helpful to me!” –Robin Allen

“Thanks so much for this seminar and for the readings you shared. I hugely enjoyed both essays, and not only was the class chock-full of practicable lessons, but your writing prompts ended up generating two full pages of really interesting material I had no idea was in me!” – Râna Campbell

“Shaping Creative Nonfiction with a Narrative Arc,” a live Zoom webinar. starts and ends on Friday, March 20, 2026.

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 instructor will record the class and have it available for anyone who would prefer to view the class at a different time and date.

Format
This course is offered via Zoom webinar. Webinars are workshops given online, where you can view the instructor and websites/materials she shares on her screen, making it an interactive experience. Webinars make learning from your home or office convenient.

The class features special readings (optional advance readings and in-class excerpts), 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. 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 also critique your work provide a targeted submission recommendation within two weeks of the class.

Topics include:

Short writing prompts to identify your obsession
How to tease out the deeper meaning of your obsession—the main question of your essay
EXPOSED! The secret to a successful narrative arc that keeps the reader engaged, followed by sample arcs from published essays
How to develop an arc that weaves your obsession with your main question
How to supplement your essay with authority
Bringing it all together – elements of a satisfying ending that echo with the reader
Overview of the current market for essays, literary and commercial
Q & A

ABOUT YOUR INSTRUCTOR: Ashley Harris is a freelance writer and editor with countless obsessions, from cherries and gardening to cooking and fine art. With a career that includes more than 100 bylines, she has written on these topics and more for NBC News, Poets & Writers, Real Simple, Healthline and Food and Gardening Network, among many others. Twice nominated for a Pushcart Prize, most recently for The Summer of My Shoe Obsession (N.C. Literary Review, Summer 2024 Print edition), she is also a two-time recipient of the Doris Betts Fiction Prize. 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.

To register, please click here and scroll to the bottom of the page. Hope to see you there!

Wishing you a great week ahead of warmer temperatures and loads of writing inspiration!

Ashley

Are You Ready to Write a Short Story?

Posted on February 20, 2020 by Ashley Harris

We’re counting down the days until Saturday, March 7, the day of my special workshop, “DIY – Write a Short Story in a Day,” at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro, and I could not be more excited!

Some people say that the best way to write a short story is to take advantage of that first burst of passion and write it all at once. We know that this is how Shirley Jackson conceived and wrote her beloved and intriguing story, “The Lottery,” and I suspect that many other writers use this same approach. We’re going to try this method ourselves, with the help of a one-of-kind short story writing kit I designed just for this class. From story triggers to the five essential elements of a classic short story, our students will have just what they need in one convenient (and cute!) little box. Everything but the typewriter (or pen and paper, if that’s your preference)!

I’m currently assembling all of the kits, and being an amateur “crafter” of sorts, I’m relishing every moment. When it comes to sewing, for example, it’s very important for me to have all of my materials — machine, rotary cutter, thread, fabric, thimble, even my ripper– by my side. Why should writing be any different? My hope is that our students will take these “tools” with them beyond the class and use what they learn to generate and pen an endless array of short stories.

There are only 2 slots left in the class, so if you’re interested, don’t miss out! You can easily sign up by registering online or by calling (919) 545-8044 during regular business hours.

And if you can’t get enough writing inspiration, on April 25, I’m leading a workshop on Share Your Writing with the World – Revision and Submission, also at CCCC, which will be the perfect follow up to our March class. We’ll talk about markets for short stories and more, including flash fiction, creative nonfiction and essays, and poetry.

Hope to see you soon!

A Day of True Stories at Central Carolina Community College!

Posted on September 23, 2019September 23, 2019 by Ashley Harris

There were startup-594090__480 giggles. There were sighs. And there were some tears. But overall, Conference Room 103G in Building 42 at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro quaked with joy yesterday. With 11 students, we were almost at full capacity, which says a lot for the power of creative writing.

“Who else do you know,” I asked the students, “who would rather be here than outside on a gorgeous day like today?”

To their credit, those 11 brave souls chose to spend six hours writing, reading, and writing again. Writing from real life takes a special kind of courage, and it’s more than a little cathartic.

We wrote of our upbringing, our love stories, our dearest memories and our scariest moments. We even confessed our most embarrassing episodes. Whatever we wrote, we wrote from the heart. Every single word was true. And we did it all in miniature. In most cases, less than 500 words!

Flash essays are suddenly wildly popular, especially on the heels of the surge in flash fiction. But the truth is that little essays have always been in style. Remember those little gems in Reader’s Digest? Life in These United States….All in Day’s Work, etc? Most major publications now want your littlest stories too, from The New York Times to national magazines like Psychology Today to state magazines such as Carolina Country. In fact, the list of markets (including contests) was so vast it took up two whole pages in our handouts!

Want more flash essays? If so, consider joining me for an abbreviated version of this same workshop in Charlotte on Saturday, October 12 at the Charlotte Center for Literary Arts. There’s just one seat left in that class, so don’t delay! We’ll share writing tips and prompts, and I guarantee that you will end up with more than one draft of a saleable essay.

Also, as you polish your stories, look ahead to January 4, 2020, when we’ll hold a special workshop for all writers on Submissions and Contests, also at the Charlotte Center for Literary Arts. Join us, make some new friends, and prepare to share your writing with the world.

And top secret! Stay tuned for a special workshop next spring. I’m very excited because it’s an entirely new topic for me, and we’re taking a very unconventional approach. 🙂

I hope to see you soon. Until I do, keep writing and delighting!

Happy National Camera Day, Etc!

Posted on June 29, 2019 by Ashley Harris

It’s June 29, and the National Day Calendar tells me it’s National Camera Day, National Almond Buttercrunch Day, and National Waffle Iron Day!

So how did we celebrate such momentous occasions? First, we took a little field trip to scenic Concord Cemetery in Coleridge, N.C. This site has been on my history bucket list for some time, as I’m a descendant (through my mother, Margaret Jane Craven) of Peter Craven, one of the early settlers of Randolph County. He settled here in 1750, back when our county was still part of Orange County, and well before our nation’s independence.

Peter had six sons and his descendants are now scattered across the U.S., but many of the original family members, including my great-great-great-great-great grandfather Thomas Craven, Esquire, Peter Craven’s eldest son, are buried here. Both Peter and Thomas served in the Revolutionary War and became renowned for their pottery. The bright sunshine, verdant hills, and blue sky made today a perfect day for snapping pictures, such as the one above memorializing our patriarch.

Later, at home, I remembered that it was also Almond Buttercrunch Day. Luckily, I happened to some chocolate-covered toffee cookies stowed away in the freezer.

Okay, the flavor wasn’t quite almond buttercrunch, but I figured it was close enough, right?

The only thing left to commemorate is National Waffle Iron Day, but I have to tell you that after just two cookies, I’m already full. I love waffles, so maybe I’ll get out the waffle iron later. These long summer days make anything possible.

By the way, the National Day Calendar is a terrific resource for writers (and anybody else who just wants another reason to be happy!).

So have a little fun, and I hope you celebrate your favorite special day with style…..

What makes a successful writer?

Posted on April 25, 2019 by Ashley Harris

In this particular order….

1- Love of language

2 – Internal burning desire to write, write, write….no matter what’s going on in their lives

3 – Abiding curiosity (obsession!) for the human experience

4 – Significant body of work to draw from so there’s always something in circulation — plenty of pieces to submit and re-submit when the times are tough.

What do you think? Am I missing something? It’s entirely possible!