I have taken three classes so far at Gotham and I've loved them all (Memoir I, TV Writing I, Screenwriting I). I have gained so much confidence in myself as a writer, and I now feel as though I have the tools to go out and critique my own writing. Thanks, Gotham! read more

I have just taken one class so far with Gotham Writer's Workshop - Creative Non-fiction. The class was only six weeks (I did the online version) but I learned so much in that short time. The weekly lessons and lectures covered the topic so well and in a very understandable and applicable format. Our instructor, Mike Dunphy, was excellent. The feedback he gave on each week's homework was so insightful and helpful, and he gave the feedback in a way that didn't bruise your ego, but tactfully pointed out where you could improve, but giving plenty of kudos for work effort as well. I have already signed up for two other classes and highly recommend Gotham Writer's Workshop if you want to improve your writing chops. read more

I took Memoir I with Carmen. She's an incredible teacher, and Gotham was a wonderful place to learn.

I took the Children's Book Writing I course this summer and absolutely loved it. I'm not located in New York, but it was completely doable from out of state. The course was extremely beneficial for me as a new writer and my instructor, Caela Carter, is absolutely amazing! If you have the opportunity to take a course with her I HIGHLY recommend. I wish the course didn't have to end, but I will definitely be looking to take more courses with Gotham soon. read more

After years of stumbling around in the dark with my writing, I have finally found a home with Gotham Writers Workshops. This is the highest praise I can give any writing program. I will continue to write and study with Gotham. My writing coach, Erik, was the best. read more

I've recently finished my fourth Gotham writing class. I'm already planning to take several more. Honestly, you can't really go wrong with Gotham's classes. No, you don't get a degree from Gotham, but you do gain a solid understanding of writing in the area of your choice. I took my first two classes and they gave me enough of a skill set to write a full-length novel, then another, then another. When I decided to learn screenwriting, Gotham classes provided me with what I needed yet again. C.C. Webster is a true screenwriting treasure - an absolutely non-pretentious instructor with skill and knowledge in the art of screenwriting. It still blows my mind that I was able to have her as an instructor. Listen, writers, do NOT debate with yourselves about Gotham... just enroll already! read more

Best writing class in my entire life . Have taken multiple classes through other groups but this is in a league of its own . My 10 week memoir class was transformative . My instructor , Cindy House, was gifted in bringing out the best in her students . I have already signed up for the next class which meets in 4 weeks . Met other writers as well in the zoom class but there are different types of classes to choose from . Loved the entire experience in a supportive environment and my writing improved like never before ! read more

Enjoying my class so far. The instructor is so knowledgeable, provides kind and incisive criticism of my work. I've gotten so much better in only a few months. read more

I loved my intro to playwriting course! I had never written dialogue before, so I hopped on just to take a fun challenge and really enjoyed the milieu. The amount of weekly personal feedback was wonderful, and I also enjoyed the work of my classmates. I'm so glad that I went out of my comfort zone and had a very positive experience. I plan to continue working on my play! read more

If you're serious about being a better writer, I cannot recommend any better place for a course. Great instructors, great support, quality students. read more

I got the perfect mentor through Gotham (Jil Picariello) who gave me stellar, constructive feedback on my memoir as I was writing it. She also held me accountable on making progress on my chapters. I would definitely use Jil and Gotham again! read more

It is truly insane that anyone would rate GWW anything less than 5 stars. I'm not even trying to sound like an ass, but anything less than 5 most likely insinuates something is wrong with the person - not the class/school/teacher. Sure, there are one-off situations and not every teacher or every class will be perfect, but man the content of these classes, the lectures, the collaboration, the school - it's just so brilliantly put together. I'm a writer based in NYC and I've taken over a dozen classes through Gotham. Everything from, screenwriting to creative, non fiction, memoir, humor, travel, stand up etc. Every class I have ever taken has been taught by an utterly brilliant, unique teacher all of whom have given me great, feedback. I've also had the opportunity to meet unbelievable, interesting, unique classmates from around the world that I not only collaborated with, but some became my friends. OK fine, I lied - we both know I have no friends. Let's just move on. The staff of Gotham are also excellent and really helpful. Josh Sippie is a god damn fucking legend. I actually work with him currently 1 on 1 and he has completely changed the trajectory of my writing goals/aspirations and focus. I've been writing for over 10 years, but a few sessions with him and I was given a direction I never had before. Dana Miller is also an angel. She helped consult me on my desire for 1 on 1 mentorship and gave me advice on other classes. She is patient, informative, intelligent and generous with her time. I've even taken some of her yoga classes - she's so cool. Some other amazing folks - Alex Steele is a generous, awesome dude and the president of Gotham. Kelly Caldwell is an incredible human/teacher and Cullen is a sick teacher as well - I loved taking classes with him. Overall, if you're interested in improving your writing, trying something new, meeting new people, learning something or crossing something off your bucket list - you can't go wrong with Gotham, truly. 5 stars without question to one of the finest, creative establishments I've ever had the honor of throwing my money at. read more

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of taking a Memoir Writing class at Gotham Writers Workshop. The classroom setting was a safe space to be creative and vulnerable. My instructor was not only highly knowledgeable and experienced, but was also genuinely passionate about helping her students succeed. Finally, the class fostered a sense of community and we had the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions, share our work, and provide feedback. This collaborative environment not only enhanced our learning experience but also provided a support system that extended beyond the classroom. Thanks to the invaluable skills and knowledge I gained at Gotham Writers, I am now a published author. If you are looking for a safe space to hone your writing skills and start your journey to becoming a published author, I highly recommend Gotham Writers Workshop. Donna Hayes Author of: These Broken Roads: Scammed and Vindicated, One Woman's Story. (Sibylline Press) read more

My songwriting and playwriting courses at Gotham were a life-changing experience. They get the most amazing and experienced teachers who take their job seriously. Taking these classes made me realize why I live in NYC. I could never hope to study with master teachers like this anywhere else in the world, especially at so reasonable a price. Thanks to Gotham, I've gone on to a moderately successful international recording career. Thank you Gotham. read more

Great variety of classes. Highly effective and engaged instructors. Excellent responsiveness from administrative staff.

Since the pandemic started I've taken five online workshops at Gotham. The overall quality of the teachers has been outstanding. I especially loved Michael Montlack's Poetry Writing I Online course. Students come from diverse backgrounds. The majority seem to be located in the northeastern US, but some are from as far away as Australia. I've made new friends and even joined a critique group that formed after my Poetry Writing I class. I took my first workshop, Creative Writing 101, as a weekly Zoom course, but took my next class online (not in real time) and realized that I prefer that format. I'm not good at completing writing exercises in the brief scope of a Zoom session and dislike oral critiques. I much prefer having ample time to brainstorm writing and critiques. It's also helpful to have a written record of others' feedback. Gotham constantly sponsors fun flash writing contests (I've won two free classes that way!). I also highly recommend Inside Writing, a free weekly Zoom talk show hosted by Gotham's Josh Sippie, where writers, agents, and editors provide insider tips on publishing and writing. Gotham also recently launched an online literary mag with no submission fees; it's nice to have another outlet to submit your work. read more

Just finished my first writing class with Gotham: Fiction 1 with Divya Sood. I had a really great experience! I think the main benefit of the class is building a rapport with other students and getting constructive feedback. Divya was a wonderful teacher! I read a previous Yelp review that recommended her so I chose her for my first class. She gave excellent feedback that was actionable, encouraging, and honest. She made the class feel comfortable and inviting. I did the live Zoom course and didn't love the web interface to access the syllabus and submit assignments through (it was a bit confusing), but I managed through it. I'm waiting for the summer to end before enrolling in another course. read more

I usually love this place. I have been to a handful of write ins over the past five years. Yesterday was disappointing: the place lacked a welcoming vibe and very few people really mingled during wine and cheese break. Our instructor never introduced herself before the class started and she made me uncomfortable by scolding a student for accidently spilling a small amount of wine. I have had much friendlier and more welcoming instructors in the past. This one didn't even provide any feedback: she just relied on students to do all the talking. The worst part is that write ins are supposed to last two hours. When I left, my watch said 8:17 pm. She essentially, stole, over ten minutes of our time. I will be back again because it's been excellent before. But I seriously hope that I don't ever see this instructor again. read more

I am infinitely grateful to Michael Montlack and the creators of the Poetry Writing I Online course at Gotham. This class (still in progress) has rejuvenated my love of writing, my desire to write, and my ability to take my passion and put it on paper. This school attracts wonderfully-minded and diverse people from all writing levels. The critiquing process is super supportive, and beneficial. I highly recommend you take the class seriously, because you most definitely get out of it, what you put into it. Participate in class discussions. Do the assignments. Comment on other people's work. Michael is a fantastic instructor and deserves a lot of credit for: 1) creating such an inviting atmosphere in an online setting, and 2) offering such thoughtful feedback. Good luck and happy writing! read more

At some point during the pandemic, I decided I wanted to turn all the stories rattling around inside my head into a book. Tried writing on my own and it was promising but disorganized, so I looked around for an online writing class and found Gotham. I initially took Memoir I with Stacy Pershall, and got so much out of the class that I signed up for a one-on-one mentorship, also with Stacy. Both the class and the mentorship have been so valuable in harnessing my passion for writing and helping me turn my all-over-the-place stories into a focused narrative. In the class, we covered character development (more important in memoir writing than I thought), dialogue, description, and the setting and pacing of time, which was all-important in turning decades of life experience into a compelling story that moves just enough and doesn't drag. We also learned about the business side of getting published. In my mentorship, Stacy helped me develop an outline of my book and focus on certain plot points, allowing the story to more naturally unfold from there and maintain dramatic tension throughout . Stacy is a great teacher both in the class and 1-on-1 format, responsive to questions, thoughtful and generous with feedback, and fostered a sense of community among her Memoir 101 students, which can be tough to achieve online Gotham has already done a ton to help me develop my creative writing skills. With so many offerings, I look forward to taking more online courses in the near future! read more

I've taken MANY writing workshops in my life (both undergraduate and graduate level). I was looking for a new writing community that could get me back in the workshop, since workshops are the most invaluable tools for writers. Gotham was reasonably priced, more so than other Extension classes I've taken. Now I see there's a reason for that. First week of submissions, all students submitted on time. Great. Second week, not even one of the four students submitted. Whatever, their loss I guess. It's just frustrating to take a class where the other students aren't committed to putting in the effort. The teacher also hasn't been very helpful the few times I've reached out, which is the most disappointing thing of all, since you expect the teacher in a creative writing class to be your most useful point of contact. This is a great starting place for new writers, but if you're looking for serious critiques, more advanced lectures or assignments, or to really dive hard into your writing, Gotham is not the place to do it. At this point, I will just go back to UCLA Extension--or drop serious cash for professional edits from a professional editor--rather than take another hit-or-miss online workshop. I guess I only have myself to blame for trying to save a few dollars...lesson learned. read more

Not bad but wouldn't repeat probably. Tried to leave this feedback on their site but I needed an account and there was nowhere to sign up for one. I bought my class through coursehorse so maybe that's why? I have a few issues with this course, though informative. 1- At least half of the children's book course info and activities were online already prior to the class. 2- The school they used for their Saturday classes was so damn cold. But other than showing and telling to a group for feedback, q and a throughout the day and publishing info at the end, why did I need to go in person and pay so much? Maybe it's just this particular course but most of this I could have done at home. I also didn't like that this author's books aren't really well known at all and she hasn't published it seems in years so why is she qualified to lead a class geared for success? She wasn't even from the area so any local questions we had couldn't be answered either. Other students had to answer those. read more

I have done a few workshops here and I've found them very useful. The critiques provided motivation to finish new work and I usually got a few really good pieces of actionable feedback. I also got some excellent tips on how to draft cover and query letters--things I had been neglecting before! Joe Okonkwo and Seth Fried were both really excellent teachers. I think the atmosphere is really nice here overall. I have never regretted signing up for a class, and always look forward to the workshops. Thank you gotham read more

I took the Screenwriting One class, with Vanessa King as the instructor. I was just curious (my job is as a financial adviser) and had no concept of what went into writing a screenplay. Although the first class or two were a bit overwhelming, Vanessa was so encouraging, supportive and knowledgeable that the ten weeks ended up flying by. From having no idea at all, I came up with a synopsis for a screenplay, an outline and finished a third of it by the end of class. Many students finished even more and two finished the whole thing by the end of the ten weeks. The feedback on my writing from Vanessa (and other students) was invaluable ... as was reading and sharing thoughts on all of our scripts. You'll have to do some work to get the most out of the class, but if you do, you'll really come away with a great experience. read more

I can't say enough good things about Gotham Writers Workshop. I've taken the intensive one day blog basics workshop and am currently enrolled in a 10 week online food writing course. The professors and students in both classes have created a welcoming non threatening environment that makes writing fun. As a former journalism major, these courses have helped me overcome my writers block and get me back into the practice of writing. If you're signing up for a class for the first time, a discount code may be available online. They also host Friday night write-ins where everybody writes on a particular prompt. The price of these classes is very reasonable for what you get in return. Great place to improve your writing and make connections - highly recommend! read more

Gotham Writers Workshop - Specialty Schools Near Me - New York, New York

Took an Intro to Creative Writing course with Divya Sood and had an excellent experience. Divya was friendly, funny, and knowledgeable. Her feedback on my work was both encouraging and helpful -- pointing out what I had done well and letting me know what I could do differently/better. I was also impressed by the ways in which she tailored the sessions to her students, often asking if we had any questions and/or what specific topics we wanted to cover. I left the class feeling encouraged and energized, and I look forward to taking more courses at Gotham. read more

After seeing Gotham ads all over the internet I decided to look into it as I wanted to expand my writing skills. I signed up for the blog intensive course. Within 15 minutes I realized it was a complete waste of money. The instructor was extremely narcissistic and talked about her pieces of work and books she worked on for hours. She began teaching the lesson And again using her own work as an example. Writing? Well we spent maybe 12 minutes out of the entire 7 hours actually doing some writing exercises and at no point did she check them or give feedback. It was more like " write for a few minutes, everyone finished? Okay great.. moving on." I came home with very little notes and very little confidence that my skills had expanded. A lot of the information I had already found on google or Pinterest. When talking to my writer friends about it, they literally laughed that I would even sign up for a class here and explained that the instructors are not that great and the company spends a lot on marketing just to get people in. read more

I've taken two online courses with GWW and thoroughly enjoyed, if not relished, the first one (Romance Writing). As it unfolded a few years ago, I cannot say that I have any lasting impressions of the instructor. However, each class offered a dynamic lecture with plenty of juicy tips for fleshing out a bold, engaging story with a high degree of acuity. I also recall that each homework assignment was fun, engrossing and a joy to complete. Interacting with other writers closely compared to an authentic classroom situation as I remember galvanizing---or at least constructive---comments for the finished assignments (which were based on a developing story). When the class concluded, I felt satiated and rewarded. I have not yet finished the second course (Memoir Writing) because I fell behind with my assignments due to severe sensory overload. This is my essentially my own problem and not due to the instructor or classmates. When I learned that I would have the usual weekly lectures, discussion questions, and homework assignments, I nodded in assent...and then I realized that I'd also have two separate and HUGE assignments. Basically, they would be entire chapters of my memoir. I was far from ready. That is precisely when I knew I couldn't continue this endeavor for the duration and needed a self-imposed hiatus. If you take this course with the intention of writing about highly traumatic circumstances from your past, please ensure that you've collected enough emotional space between yourself and the perpetrators or else this course won't work for you. I wanted to add that the instructor has several published memoirs and provides excellent lectures, not to mention thoughtful discussion questions and homework assignments. She is engaging and influential. Gotham always provides immense value for the dollar! I just wish that each syllabus was provided in the course description preview on the website as I don't think I would have chosen a class that asked for two lengthy assignments at different intervals. If you suffer from anything---such as cognitive incongruity or chronic fatigue---that inhibits your writing flow and output, review your options carefully before committing to a GWW course. Since the school has a stringent policy about (no) refunds, I can't recoup any of my money. But at least all the courses are maintained in their database for several weeks after the last class is finished. You can print any lectures, discussions or assignments you like. As a direct result, I still plan to utilize the educational lectures and writing suggestions on my own time. It won't be as helpful as the actual online classroom scenario, but it's better than absolute naught. And it's simply another way that GWW is helpful in the short term or the long haul. read more

It will be two weeks this coming Wednesday March 22nd that I have been waiting for my intellectual property (which has already been paid for) to be returned to me. Why would the teacher be so vindictive (Nelsie Spencer) and not send me my corrected homework unless she never took the time to correct it or possibly has already discarded it since I wasn't in class? Gotham employs a teacher that isn't computer savvy. We are in the 21st century, hello... Although Nelsie Spencer seems to have no computer issues when sending out a flyer via email pertaining to her next show. She ignores texts and emails from her students. Can you imagine she won't send me back all of writing assignments and Gotham condones this. She claimed she doesn't get paid enough. How do you call yourself a "writing" teacher if you have poor communication? For Nelsie Spencer it seems her classroom is more like a stage where she can perform. There are plenty of writing classes out there in NY, I suggest you go there. Gotham classes are nothing but a waste of time. I have reported them to the BBB, Consumer Affairs and social media in hopes that this will help future students from being taken advantage of . read more

English is my second language. I just finished screenwriting 1 with Jason Greiff. It's been years since I wanted to write a script. I took classes in Paris with Truby and McKee, Nothing came out. GWW is the place to start writing. It is wonderful (yet scary each time) to share your script with other people in the class. Each of them had a great story, it was very diverse in genre and style. We had terrific, fun moments. Jason is a real gentleman, a passionate writer, a very good teacher and has a great sense of humor. Jason gave me strength. I'm very grateful. I highly recommend him. read more

This review is for the write-in class, which is my only experience with GWW. If you're like me and always beating yourself up for not doing constructive, creative, or productive things outside of work, this is a great little baby step into the world of recreational (and who knows, maybe eventually professional) writing. Here's the format: you sit in a classroom with a group of about 15 people and a moderator. The moderator puts a phrase up and you have a good amount of time to write whatever you like (I think it was like 15-20 minutes maybe?) Then anyone can offer to read their writing, and though people can give feedback there's no critical feedback allowed. It makes for a really welcoming space, and I think a lot of people who originally thought they weren't going to read theirs eventually did. There were some really good writers in there! Then, you have a little break with food and wine, and can mingle with some of the other guests. After that, you go in and do a round 2. On this round people are a lot more willing to share. Though I didn't read anything I wrote that first time, I could see that after a few sessions I might get the courage to volunteer. The whole thing is $20, and it was a fun and different way to spend an early Friday evening. It's a great way to get your creative juices flowing and meet other people who are interested in writing. I even saw two people exchange numbers at the end of my class - so maybe it's a good place to meet your new romantic lead, too! read more

I took the Screenwriting I class this winter, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Our instructor, CC Webster, was very knowledgeable and provided excellent critique, tips and encouragements. She got to the point, and there was no wasted time/useless information shared. At the end of the 10 classes, I - and most of the other students - had a sequence map for my movie, and the first pages written. I am looking forward to take Screenwriting II - with CC again if at all possible. Highly recommend it. read more

I am a beginning creative writer; prior to this course, I had taken only one other creative writing class at the Writer's Center. The Gotham students as compared with the Writer's Center was a an ocean-wide difference in basic understanding of concepts and ability to apply them to the practice. I truly felt hindered by the pace of the course, as the instructor had to take (very) valuable time to go over the most basic of concepts to students that truly seemed either not to care or not to be able to comprehend the material. Based on the course descriptions, I felt I was qualified for a Gotham basics course over a more advanced course - in this regard, I feel I wasted a lot of time and money. It astounded me that extremely basic concepts (1st vs. 3rd person, for example) had to be addressed numerous times. I mean, if you have EVER read a short story or novel, I feel these "basics" concepts should be familiar and only need to be a reminder. Class critique was likewise a sometimes-torturous experience, as students by-passed the clearly delineated instructions from day one, failing over and over again to provide non-repetitive critique and analysis. Attending the class actually began to annoy me, rather than be a fun and challenging learning experience for me to look forward to in my week; I was actually grateful when I fell ill and had to miss two classes. I will emphasize that the critique gained from the instructor was great, and is really the only thing that salvaged the course for me. It did get me writing for homework assignments, but I think that any ambitious person can meet-up with (free) writing circles and have the same sort of motivation. At least, that's my new plan. read more

Though the literary writing courses are ok, the screenwriting courses are in my opinion not worth the money. I don't think they pay their faculty much. The professors don't want to so anything more than the pre-set printed material. Good luck getting them to answer individual questions. And their attitude is, if you don't like it, don't bother to sign up. My first screenwriting class the instructor did not bother to comment on my submission. The second screenwriting class the professor (Pamela Harris) told me (in response to some substantive questions) that I did not read enough scripts. FYI I have taken Gotham literary courses for years - I don't intend to take any more. The faculty quality has really gone down. read more

I would like to establish some caveats right at the start: 1) I probably should have written this review a long time ago, and 2) this review isn't so much a review of GWW per se, as it is of one particular GWW instructor - although it could be argued that in an educational scenario, one's experience with an instructor represents the overwhelming essence of one's experience of the institution itself, so any review of an instructor is always at least a partial and/or indirect review of the institution which she/he implicitly represents. Feel free to evaluate accordingly. In the fall of 2011, I enrolled in a 10-week, online, Level I course in poetry. The instructor was Michael Montlack. For the past few years, I'd already been writing poetry on my own, sparingly but successfully. I was looking for some expert feedback...and some constructive criticism...to help me to further develop my talent and refine my style: the key word here being "constructive". A brief personal note, if I may: I'm a writer who is brutally honest with himself. I know what I do well - and what I don't do well. And I would never share a work that wasn't yet complete, or was otherwise not up to standard. I'm not the kind of poet who is still trying to find his poetic voice. I know who I am, and I already know my own poetic voice. I'm interested in evolving as a writer/poet, because it's something that I already do well, and I want to see how much more skilled and accomplished I can become. During this course, I had an experience that was quite unlike any other in my 13 years of K-12 school, four years of college, and two years of graduate school, as virtually from the very start of the class, Mr. Montlack took a visceral, almost peevish dislike to my material. During the 2+ months of my participation in weekly class sessions and regular poetry submissions, I cannot recall a single instance in which he offered any actual encouragement to me, much less positive support. What I do recall are several instances in which Mr. Montlack seemed to have gone out of his way to disparage my work, for what seemed like very gratuitous reasons, if for any actual reasons at all. Things finally came to a head at about the midway point of the course - just after Mr. Montlack had dumped all over my midterm poetry submission, without explanation. I immediately responded with an extensive email message, in which I reviewed his behavior toward me from the very first class session, and demanded that he explain to me - precisely - just what it was that he found so objectionable in my work. I reminded him that I had just spent $400 in order to learn from him - not to be insulted or demeaned - and insisted that if he found my poetry to in any way be lacking, it was his responsibility to actually instruct me, by being explicit about a) his frame of reference, b) his particular poetic standards and principles, and c) his reasons for why I should accept those same standards and principles as my own. For whatever reason, I thought he might reply to me in kind, i.e. by actually getting into the nitty-gritty of what it was that he had to teach me, and that this unfortunate confrontation might yet have a positive, productive outcome - IF he would then seize the opportunity to clear the air with me, and begin to provide me with the constructive instruction that I had paid for. Instead, he failed to acknowledge the validity of ANY of my complaints, refused to engage with me concerning ANY of the particular issues involved, and replied only with a terse two-sentence statement, informing me that he was dropping me from the course, effectively immediately, and that I could take up the matter with the dean. No explanation. Not even an attempt. The dean responded to me the next morning with an apology, and an offer to take the course again at no charge - with a different instructor. As one might imagine, however, by that point I had no appetite for a potential repeat of what I'd just endured - and therefore have focused upon writing independently, without an instructor, ever since then. As any creative writer knows, success in the craft depends upon the willingness to accept a good deal of vulnerability. And I would argue that this is in no case more true that it is with that most sensitive, most intimate literary genre of all: poetry. From what I've been told, Mr. Montlack gets very positive feedback from most other GWW students who have studied with him. Based upon my personal experience with him, however, I can state only that any potential poetry student at GWW should probably think twice before committing to a course of study with such a narcissistic prima donna as Michael Montlack. read more

Took two classes here, one fiction and one non. I'm an editor and a published writer, so in some ways I was ahead of the game. I really wanted to jump-start my writing and had been unable to do so on my own. The students are a mixed bag. Some advanced classes enroll serious writers, while the entry-level groups host the full spectrum of writing ability. If you think this will bother you, it probably will. Having said that, the students are spending a fair amount of money and have a vested interest in improving their writing. Slackers generally quit after the first meeting or so. What's left are fun, smart people who are really trying. Not everyone is talented, but everyone gets better as time goes on. The teachers make or break the classes. Mine were winners, albeit imperfect. Both were professional writers and understood how to teach adults. They were relentlessly upbeat and encouraging, but neither shied away from real criticism, especially of the best writers. Both had a tendency to be unfocused, but most students were able to look beyond that. I admit it could sometimes be annoying. Understanding the workshopping process is crucial to your success here. Everyone critiques everyone else's work, at a rate of 2 student works per week, on average. A critique means mentioning something you liked about the work, as well as the euphemistic "something I wondered about." When the system works, it's great: You get honest feedback, but none of it makes you want to kill yourself. However, if the teacher doesn't moderate the criticism--making sure none of it is too long or too repetitive--then your class is going to suck. You will be given homework, which will be a pain. Do the homework anyway. Every time I got an assignment, I thought I was too good to do it. Every time, I was wrong. Each homework assignment taught me something valuable, and one sparked an idea for a novel. The school itself is well-run, and dealing with the administration is straightforward. Be aware that classes are held in various locations around the city. There are also on-line classes, and I've heard good things about them, but I would favor the on-site classes unless you're physically unable to attend. read more

After trying out two free classes during their fall open house, I have mixed feelings about Gotham Writers Workshop. I chose two random classes to try, (because they were free), so I had no preset expectations about content or teaching methods. Afterwards, I felt compelled to sign up for one of the classes and not for the other, solely based on the teaching. The instructor that I liked was so good that I had to give four stars on this review, and am considering taking a class now that I had absolutely no interest in before! I guess the moral of this story is that if you are interested in taking a class, try out the instructor during an open house to see how they are. Overall though, seemed like a well-run and professional organization and a safe bet. read more

I would definitely not recommend this class if you're a quick learner or have decent grammar skills. The class is extremely slow paced. My biggest critique is that the instructor did not come prepared. He got exercise answers incorrect and sometimes gave incorrect explanations that would contradict the logic of a prior explanation. Lecturing mistakes are forgivable on the professor's part; however, these should have been prevented with an instruction manual. I found these errors very inappropriate in a basic grammar workshop setting, as they result in a foundation built on shaky or incorrect principles. Finally, the instruction should have differentiated between what grammar rules were to be used in a 'creative writing' setting vs a formal writing setting. Most of the students were attending to improve their grammar on the job but it was clear the professor was teaching a creative grammar style not appropriate for work. Having to consistently ask for the formal rule was a pain. In sum: the class was slow paced, the instructor was confused, and I would not recommend the course to others. Overall, simply paying to force yourself to sit for seven hours and review a general outline of grammar rules. read more

If you truly want to improve your writing skills take the Non-fiction Article writing course with Cliff Hopkinson. He will improve your writing ability no matter whether it is to write non-fiction or fiction. George Goldfarb read more

After getting a recommendation from a member of my writing group I decided to take the 10 week online course of Science Fiction and Fantasy 1 with Paul Witcover. I afraid to say we ended with less participants than we started with. Not because Paul or the class was horrible in fact the feedback received from the class and Paul helped fix the first chapter of my work in progress. Either the feedback was not people's liking or real life got in the way. The structure of the course is fairly straight forward: Lecture once a week with homework and two booth submissions. The lectures cover a great variety of things like POV, dialogue, world building and figuring out the business. The booth submission process may seem painful at first but if you been in a writing group you know how hard/painful it can seem when the feedback from complete strangers rolls in. The library links to authors, magazines and such are worth saving. The only downsides I found was the lectures, homework and booth reviews aren't in a portable format that's easily savable. The current way of saving the work as giant file doesn't really do it for me. An annotated PDF file of booth work is really needed and this goes for the lectures/homework, too. I think if Gotham came out with an mobile/ipad app that encompasses this it'd make the experience even more enjoyable. The other downside was the chat lounge is a great idea but don't be surprised if the optional 1hr chat with fellow students drops down to a core group at the end of the 10 weeks. In the end, the writing class was money well spent and I signed up for SFF II with Michaela Roessner. read more