What would it take for you to finish your novel or memoir? Or get that screenplay into shape? With a rocky economy and obligations piling up, how do you find the energy to put your writing first?

Let us help. The UCLA Extension Writers Studio lets you carve out four days to concentrate on your work and provides a strong community of writers to share the journey with you.

In the Writers Studio, held February 5-8, 2009 in Westwood Village, students choose from one of ten focused workshops in screenwriting, nonfiction, or fiction writing. For four days, participants work closely with a professional writer in courses limited to no more than eighteen students. Every year the Writers’ Program hand-picks the instructors based on their dedication to teaching and overall mastery of their profession.

Ask past Writers Studio participants what they appreciated most about the Studio, and they’ll tell you it’s the closeness of the community. Ask them what they took home from the experience, and most will say the commitment to take their writing seriously.

Camerone Thorson, who participated last year, says, “The Writers Studio enabled me to focus on me—and the word—without the day-to-day distractions which I am prone to as a mom, wife, and professional. This was ‘my time’—a unique concept, actually.”

What sets the Writers Studio apart from so many other writing conferences? The constant instruction and feedback from published and produced writers and the chance to write and workshop in an intimate setting for four days.

“In addition to providing an atmosphere conducive to writing,” says participant Elizabeth Maggio, “my Writers Studio class forced me to write every day and under a tight deadline. This meant that I didn’t waste time overthinking about what I want to write, which dulls creativity.”

Since 1997, the Writers Studio has drawn hundreds of students from as close as Hollywood to as far as Lebanon, Switzerland, and Japan.

We know the Writers Studio will help you feel like a writer, but how has it improved the work?

Just ask participant Maya Alvarez-Galvan. “Writers Studio opened up a new world for me,” she says. “I have been sitting on my manuscript for over a year because I was too afraid to search for an agent and publisher. My instructor broke the process down into manageable steps and helped me realize it’s not as scary as I thought.”

Do you want this to be your break-out year? Make up your mind to do it. Join us this February at Writers Studio 2009! Enrollment is underway. Courses close at 18 students, so reserve your spot now.

Click here to watch Writers Studio instructors Keith Giglio and Amy Friedman in conversation about the experience of the UCLA Extension Writers Studio!

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Corey Campbell is the Program Representative in Creative Writing (Online) and Events. 

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