Success Stories
Success: J. Ryan Stradal’s Second Novel Coming Soon
Former student J. Ryan Stradal's second novel The Lager Queen of Minnesota will be published by Pamela Dorman Books/Viking on July 23rd, 2019. Following the success of his first novel, the New York Times bestseller Kitchens of the Great Midwest, his new novel follows...
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Success: Michael Werwie’s New Film Now on Netflix
Former student and screenwriting contest semifinalist Michael Werwie's Nicholl-winning Black List script Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile is now available on Netflix, starring Zac Efron and Lily Collins. His upcoming movie Lost Girls, based on the New York...
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Success: Judith Teitelman Publishes Debut Novel
Former student Judith Teitelman’s first novel, Guesthouse for Ganesha, was published earlier this week. Judith says the process, “has been 18 years in the making. Betwixt and between consulting and teaching and travel and life, I conceived, developed, wrote, rewrote,...
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Success: Instructor Mieke Eerkens’ Family Memoir Published
Instructor Mieke Eerkens familial memoir, All Ships Follow Me, was recently published by Macmillan. Mieke says of the book, “This book, which has its origins in my thesis for my MFA at the University of Iowa many years ago, recounts my parents' experiences as children...
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Success: Instructor Jessica Barksdale Inclan Publishes Book of Poetry
Longtime Creative Writing Instructor Jessica Barksdale Inclan recently had a book of poetry published. She told us, “Before I wrote short stories or novels, I wrote poems, and I continued to do so all through the writing of longer works. When We Almost Drowned is a...
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Success: Michele Wolfe’s Publishing Successes
Former student Michele Wolfe has had multiple successes since taking her first class in the Writers’ Program. Her debut novel, The Three Graces, was published in 2014 and she is almost finished with her second novel, Atoms of Memory. In the meantime, she’s found other...
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Success: Instructor Laurel Ollstein’s Play Having West Coast Premiere
Instructor Laurel Ollstein’s play, They Promised Her the Moon, is premiering at the Old Globe in San Diego, CA on April 11th. The play centers on Jerrie Cobb, the first American woman to be tested for space flight. Laurel says of the play, “They Promised Her the Moon...
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Success: Taneeka Bourgeois-daSilva’s Publication Achievements
Former student Taneeka Bourgeois-daSilva has had several books and stories published since we previously did a success story on her in 2015. She has had stories/articles published in Merced Sun Star, VoyageLA Magazine, IBPA's Independent Magazine, and in other media....
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Instructor Interview: Eve Porinchak
Welcome new Writers’ Program instructor Eve Porinchak! Eve is teaching a one day course, How to Land a Literary Agent (Reg# 368616) this July, and sat down with us to offer some insight into creative life and her upcoming course. (She’s also going to be teaching a...
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Writers’ Program Students Join Entertainment Studies UCLAxFilmFest for First Time
Recently, the UCLA Extension Entertainment Studies program held its annual film festival. This year, for the first time, screenwriting students in the Writers’ Program were eligible to submit films. Of the dozens of films submitted, sixteen were selected for screening...
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Instructor Interview: Henry Lien
Welcome new Writers’ Program instructor Henry Lien (though he’s no stranger to UCLA Extension as he’s been an instructor for the Architecture and Interior Design program since 2013)! Henry is teaching a one day course, How to Create Original Middle Grade Concepts...
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New Classes for Summer 2019
As we head into the second half of 2019, you may be totally on target with your writing goals, or you might still be staring at your page one from concepts you dreamed up in January (or before). However, it’s never too late to get started and we have a bundle of new...
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Shakespeare Day: SmorgasBard
It's time once again to celebrate Shakespeare Day. We've previously covered staff picks for our favorite quotes, adaptations and characters. This year we're adding in favorite plays and/or sonnets, but since we've had some staff shifts, we're including...
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Instructor Interview: Annie Gilbertson
Welcome new Writers’ Program instructor Annie Gilbertson! Annie is teaching a one day course, Sound to Scene: Narrative Writing for Podcasts (Reg# 367018) this May, and sat down with us to offer some insight into creative life and her upcoming course. What sparks your...
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“My brain dies at 5pm and I can’t write.” ‘Cat Person’ Phenom Kristen Roupenian on Morning Daydreaming, Patience, and Scheduling the Dentist around Your Writing
Guest post by instructor Cole Kazdin. Kristen Roupenian’s short story “Cat Person” pretty much broke the internet after it was published in The New Yorker in December 2017, going viral instantly. Following its success, Roupenian got a seven-figure, two-book deal. Her...
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Final Draft Gives Screenwriters Their “Big Break”
Earlier this year, I had the chance to attend for the second time the annual awards ceremony for Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Contest. The Writers’ Program frequently partners with Final Draft in various capacities, such as offering discounted screenwriting...
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