The Writer's Well

08/23/2026

Do you have a novel draft or idea you’ve been wanting to develop, but could use guidance on next steps?

This eight-week workshop with author Mollie Cox Bryan is designed to help you take your story from concept to a workable blueprint. Through lectures, guided discussions, constructive workshops, and in-class writing exercises, you'll learn the essential elements of successful fiction while making progress on your own novel.

Topics include building the writing habit, developing unforgettable characters, building a strong story structure, creating conflict and tension, writing effective scenes and dialogue, finding your narrative voice, and revising with purpose. Each week, you'll have the option to share your work in a supportive workshop environment and receive thoughtful feedback from both Mollie and fellow writers.

Perfect for: Writers at all levels with a novel idea or work-in-progress.

Eight Sundays, August 30 - October 18, 1:00-3:00 p.m. at Stone Stoup Books in Waynesboro.

Register at www.thewriterswellva.com

08/13/2026

Life getting in the way of your creativity?

Make a date for you and your art! Modeled after the Parisian Cabaret Salons and the literary circles of Tolkein and Lewis, a Mad Tea with MZ is a creative workshop with the sole focus of offering opportunity to work on your art, in any medium, in any state (including beginning,) with other artists.

Artists have the choice to follow a guided creative workshop or simply work in tandem with other artists as well as an opportunity to share at the end.

Bring any creative project already brewing, or follow your curiosity from scratch with optional prompts and visual art supplies on hand.

Learn more and register at thewriterswellva.com/classes

08/11/2026

Starting Thursday!

Sometimes exploring a new genre is just what we need to crack open the door of inspiration.

The lyric essay blends the qualities of poetry and prose. It may move through fragments, images, memories, or reflections, creating connections through association. Its structure reflects the nonlinear, layered way we experience and remember our lives.

The braided essay weaves together two or more distinct threads, the writer moving back and forth between them to illuminate, complicate, or echo one another.

Join us for an evening of learning and exploration with writer Jill Cadell.

Two Thursdays, August 13 & 20 from 6-8pm at Stone Soup Books in Waynesboro.

Spots still available! Register at https://www.thewriterswellva.com/classes

08/05/2026

We’re thrilled to offer a two-hour workshop with novelist Rebecca Kauffman, author of six novels including The Gunners and Another Place You’ve Never Been, at Parentheses Books this month!

We caught up with Rebecca to learn a little about what participants can expect:

1. Your upcoming workshop explores the role of constraints in unlocking new ideas. How have you used constraints in your own writing, and what have they helped you discover?

“I’ve used structural constraints in my novels, such as a fixed timeline or limited point of view, to push myself toward intentional storytelling. I have discovered that, for me, creativity flourishes most within boundaries; a blank page is transformed helpfully into a blank canvas when the edges are in some way defined.”

2. Participants will use visual images as a source of inspiration. What draws you to that approach, and how has it shaped your own creative process?

“Images spark great curiosity for me! I find they open pathways to a different type of noticing, which can be really exciting to pursue on the page.”

3. What do you most hope participants will take away from this workshop and apply in their writing practices?

“I hope participants leave with a greater sense of curiosity in all the directions their imagination can take them!”

Learn more and reserve your spot at thewriterswellva.com/classes

07/31/2026

Sometimes exploring a new genre is just what we need to crack open the door of inspiration. The first part of this two-session class with writer Jill Caddell will focus on the lyric essay, which combines the linguistic precision and experimentation of poetry with the traditional essay.

The second class will invite participants to expand their chosen topic into a braided essay, a form of lyric essay that weaves together strands of story to create a meaningful whole.

Participants will leave class inspired to enrich their nonfiction writing with beautiful language and the tools to write their own lyric and braided essays.

Two Thursdays, August 13 & 20 from 6-8pm at Stone Soup Books in Waynesboro.

Register at www.thewriterswellva.com/classes

07/27/2026

Ready to take your poetry to the next level? Join us on Wednesdays in August for Polish, Pitch, Publish and learn insider tips on preparing your work for publication and finding the right literary outlets for your writing.

Learn more and register at www.thewriterswellva.com/classes

07/19/2026

Gallery 22, a new art gallery in Staunton, is hosting a free creative writing workshop on Tuesday, August 4th from 1-3pm.

The Rev. Cara Ellen Modisett, associate rector of Trinity Episcopal Church in Staunton, will facilitate it. A poet/essayist and former magazine editor with degrees in English and music and an M.F.A. in creative nonfiction, she has organized reading and writing series in
Memphis and Roanoke and currently shepherds a writing group at Trinity.

Mark your calendar!

Gallery 22 in Staunton hosts an artist talk with Aggie Zed and a creative writing workshop inspired by art. See link below ⬇️

📸 By Aggie Zed

06/26/2026

Every fiction writer has experienced it: a story that almost works, but not quite.

With decades of experience as a fiction writer and teacher, novelist Jody Hobbs Hesler has coined a glossary of terms to name and address seemingly nebulous craft missteps that crop up in early drafts. In her experience, once you can name the issue, you can address it. Join us, and leave with practical revision strategies to help your stories find their full potential.

Thursday, July 23, 6:30 - 8:30 PM at Stone Soup Books in Waynesboro.

Learn more and register at:
https://www.thewriterswellva.com/classes

06/15/2026

We're excited to announce that the Writer's Well will be partnering with Staunton Books and Tea to offer three workshops in downtown Staunton this summer! Staunton-based author and JMU creative writing instructor Samar Farah Fitzgerald will teach single-session workshops for kids, teens, and yes... adults!

Learn more and register at thewriterswellva.com/classes

06/08/2026

Kick start your creativity this summer in a class at the Writer's Well. We're excited to introduce workshops with local novelists Jody Hobbs Hesler and Rebecca Kauffman.

We're also offering creative writing workshop for kids, teens, and adults at Staunton Books and Tea! Details coming soon on our website.

Learn more and register at www.thewriterswellva.com