NEW CLASS! Are you a poet, or do you wish you were?  Whether you have piles of writing journals at home or have yet to put your words on paper, this workshop is for you.  We will read poetry aloud for inspiration, practice free writing techniques, and use a variety of writing exercises to turn your thoughts into poetry.  Please be prepared to share some of your writing and do some writing at home.  You will need to bring paper and a pen.

Room: 209 • Mendy Tarkowski • Tuition: $59

Mendy Tarkowski has both a B.A. and an M.Ed. in English.  She has taught English for eight years, including 6 years in which poetry was a major part of the curriculum. In workshops designed for educators teaching poetry, she has had the opportunity to work with a number of poets such as Susan Conley and Robert Pinsky, the former US Poet Laureate.

NEW CLASS! You have finished the first draft of your book, now what? Now the real work begins. In this 8-week course you will develop a revision strategy. We will discuss craft issues – characterization, plot, point of view, dialogue and setting – to help you make your book the best it can be. We will do in-class writing exercises and read aloud short scenes from each others work. You will get on the spot critiques from the instructor and the other writers. Please bring the first page of your book to the first class.

Room: 210 • Carrie H. Johnson • Tuition: $119

Carrie H. Johnson is an author, entrepreneur, small business adviser and inspirational speaker. She began her career as a journalist and has been published in newspapers such as the Los Angeles Times, Worcester Telegram and Gazette and Metrowest Daily News. For seventeen years Ms. Johnson was the President and CEO of Sparkle Cleaning Associates, Inc. Sparkle grew from a three-person cleaning service to a multimillion dollar contract cleaning company that employed 165 people. She tells the story of her journey from welfare to multimillion dollar business owner in her book From the Pits to the Palace: One Women’s Journey to Self-Realization through Entrepreneurship, available on amazon.com.