writing workshop – 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

Yesterday, I had the honor of leading a writing workshop for the mentees and mentors in an exciting employee development program known as “Believe and Achieve” at the N.C. Office of the State Controller. I did so at the request of my own lifelong mentor, Sherri Creech Johnson, who directs communications for that department. It felt like old times when I also reconnected with David McCoy, the State Controller and former Secretary at the Department of Transportation, where I used to work.

David and I are pictured here with Angela Barrett, program participant and winner of the Writer’s Tool Kit, which includes the famous writing and style guide written by William Shrunk and E.B. White, along with other necessary items such as pencils, post-it-notes, and a very big eraser!

The kit also includes a coffee mug embellished with the names of some of my favorite literary classics such as The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and 1984. (And of course, it also included some chocolate!)

Angela won the Writer’s Tool Kit in a random drawing but she was also a star participant at the workshop. As part of our writing exercise, in just 10 minutes, she and her partner somehow managed to compose an elegant first paragraph that stressed the who, what, when, where and why of a hypothetical office renovation! Hats off to Angela and all the outstanding folks who so graciously honored me with their time yesterday. I write for a living but it’s far more than a vocation for me, so it is always a delight to spend time talking with others who share my enthusiasm.

Our workshop was titled One True Sentence: Ten Tips for Writing Fearlessly. It’s based on a quote from Ernest Hemingway, who once wrote: “All you have to do is write one true sentence. Write the truest sentence that you know.” So we talked about the idea that if you start with one true sentence, you’d be surprised how quickly the next sentence will come…and then the next…and so forth. We also covered some very common grammar quandaries and the importance of organization and reading.

Not surprisingly, we spent some time discussing the intangibles involved in fearless writing. These included having confidence in yourself, finding a hero, and working with others to collaborate and revise. As I’ve often reflected, writing can be a solitary journey, but it doesn’t have to be! This point was reinforced by my delightful “reunion” with Sherri, David, and Julie Batchelor (Deputy State Controller and yet another NCDOT alum).

I don’t have the opportunity to see Sherri as much as I’d like but it’s amazing how quickly we caught up. And even though she didn’t know that I would be mentioning E.B. White (that splendid essayist and the author of Charlotte’s Web), she closed the workshop with a quote from the same man that magically summed up the day. With these words, I’ll close too, hoping that any writing you do connects you with old friends and ends up making the world a better place.

“It’s not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer.”– E.B. White