Fiction Workshop in Portland, Maine

Length: 8 hours over 4 weeks
Times: 6:30-8:30 pm
Class Fee: $125

Thu, February 5, 12, 19, & 26
Thu, May 7, 21, 14, & 28
Thu, Aug 6, 13, 20, & 27
Thu, Nov 5, 12, 19, & Dec 3, 2026 (note skipped week)

Build community with other writers and gain a solid grounding in the basics of crafting fiction in this 4-week workshop. We will use readings, lectures, generative writing exercises, and discussions of each student’s work. Fiction Workshop is ideal for anyone who wants to draft short stories or work on a novel. All genres and writing levels are welcome.

About the instructor: Kathryn Amato is a writer and teacher based in Southern Maine. They have an MFA in Writing Fiction for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, where their thesis on character agency in queer young adult novels received the 2022 Critical Thesis Award, and a Master of Arts in Teaching English Language Arts from The University of Pittsburgh. Kathryn was the 2019 Writer in Residence at Porter Square Books in Cambridge, MA and presented a panel "Breaking Up with Shame: Writing Romance for Young Adults" at AWP in 2023. They live with their wife, dog, two cats, and far too many plants.

NOTE: Factory 3 is a busy working space, not a typical locale for a writing class. There can be activity in other classes and members’ studios, as well as occasional shop noise, during the class.