Upcoming Classes
Virtual
Writing Sprint Lunch: Live Co-writing Sessions
Start your weekend right with an hour focused solely on writing. We’ll meet up on Zoom at noon for 10 minutes of writerly mingling, then dive into 45 minutes of silent writing time.
Each session, I'll provide 3-5 prompts to inspire your journaling, fiction, nonfiction, poetry, or drama. There’s no homework or reading aloud – just dedicated time to write in the company of other writers.
The Writing Sprint is free, but sign up is required to receive the zoom links and email reminders.
Biweekly, Fridays: 6/27, 7/11, 7/25, 8/8 | 12:00 – 1:00pm ET | Zoom | FREE | Sign up at: https://kayleighshoen.substack.com/s/writing-sprint-invites
Hello, Flash Fiction! Pop-up Class.
Are you flash curious? Maybe you’ve seen the term “flash fiction” or even read some examples, but you’re still not exactly sure what it is or how to write it. Or maybe you’re a dedicated journal keeper or novelist spending long hours writing alone, looking for a fun new way to write and share your work with others.
If this sounds like you, welcome to Hello, Flash Fiction!
In this one hour pop-up class you’ll learn what flash fiction is and how it differs from its cousins: short stories, poems, and essays. I’ll share why flash fiction in 2025 has one of the most engaged and welcoming communities for writers of all ages and backgrounds. And, how you can get started.
Whether you’re a novelist looking for a quick hit of validation, a poet who wants to expand your skillset, or a total newbie writer dipping a toe in, Hello, Flash Fiction! is the event for you.
Bonus: I’ll share the actual writing prompt that inspired my Wigleaf Best of 2020 longlisted story, “Things I’m Holding (for you).”
Monday, August 11th | 12:00 – 1:00pm ET | Zoom | $25 | Sign up at: https://kayleighshoen.thrivecart.com/hello-flash-fiction/
Start Small: Flash Fiction Writers Workshop
You’ve dipped your toe into flash fiction, and now you’re ready to dive deeper. Maybe you have a few story starts, or maybe you’ve just written your very first piece. Either way, you know there’s something about flash that lights you up. Now you’re ready to try more styles, revise, and share your work with others.
That’s where Start Small comes in.
In this six-week flash fiction workshop, you’ll join a small group of fellow writers to generate new work, develop your technique and find your writing voice.
Each week includes craft lessons, published examples, and prompts to get you writing. On workshop days you’ll get supportive, specific feedback on your work from the instructor and classmates.
Whether you’re hoping to publish or just want to surprise yourself on the page, Start Small is your space to grow.
Bonus: I’ll share my custom-made ranking of 250+ award winning flash fiction publishers to submit your stories to, updated for 2025. Saving you hours of research time!
6 Mondays, August 18 - Sept 29 | 12:00 – 1:30pm ET | Zoom | $225 ($175 Early Bird price through 8/11) | Sign up at: https://kayleighshoen.thrivecart.com/start-small/
In Person
6 Weeks, 6 Stories
Class offered through Grub Street Center for Creative Writing.
This class is a creative laboratory where you can experiment with new forms and share fresh work in a supportive environment. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or new to fiction, this fun, intensive course invites you to take on a generative writing sprint, crafting a new story draft each week (ranging from 300 to 1,500 words). You’ll have the opportunity to be workshopped by your peers at least three times, receiving thoughtful, constructive feedback to help your stories grow.
Through our workshop sessions and discussions of contemporary published stories by authors such as Avitus B. Carle, Kathy Fish, and Donald Barthelme, we’ll build a collaborative craft toolbox to inform and inspire your own writing.
By the end of the course, you’ll leave with six new story drafts, fresh ideas and inspiration, useful writing prompts to carry you forward, and a solid grasp of the essential elements of short fiction—plot, form, character, dialogue, setting, and voice.
Mondays, Sept 15 - Oct 27 (skips 10/13) | 6:00 – 9:00pm ET | Grub Street, Boston Seaport | $425 ($410 members) | Register at: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/6-weeks-6-stories-shoen-fa25
Jumpstart Your Writing
Class offered through Grub Street Center for Creative Writing.
Whether you’ve never written creatively before or you’re a more experienced writer looking for a recharge, your mission in this course is simple: devote three hours a week to your writing. Through a series of engaging exercises, we’ll mine memory and imagination to bring ideas to life—building characters and settings, crafting dialogue, selecting point of view,, and exploring the nuances of voice across fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
Each session includes time to discuss the writing process and share work aloud for supportive, on-the-spot feedback. With an emphasis on curiosity and craft, we’ll also read and discuss short pieces of published writing by authors including Margaret Atwood, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Mary Oliver to spark ideas and fuel your own work.
At the end of six weeks, you’ll leave class with a fresh set of drafts, new ideas to keep you writing, meaningful connections with fellow writers, and a stronger sense of your own voice on the page.
Wednesdays, Sept 17 - Oct 29 (skips 10/15) | 6:00 – 9:00pm ET | Grub Street, Boston Seaport | $395 ($380 members) | Register at: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/jumpstart-your-writing-shoen-fa25
Flash Fiction for Fun and Creativity
Class offered through Arlington Community Education.
Looking for a fun way to jumpstart your writing? Whether you’re interested in getting published or just playing with words, flash fiction offers a low-pressure, high-reward outlet for creativity. These ultra-short stories range from aphoristic 6-word stories to jewel-like 4-pagers. Together, we’ll read exemplars of the form and write a slew of our own – with friendly group discussions of student work along the way. Experts and newbies alike are welcome!
Thursdays, Sept 18 - Nov 6 (skips 10/2 and 10/16) | 7:00 – 9:00pm ET | In person, Arlington, MA | Registration opens August 1: https://www.arlingtoncommunityed.org/
Jumpstart Your Writing
Class offered through Grub Street Center for Creative Writing.
Whether you’ve never written creatively before or you’re a more experienced writer looking for a recharge, your mission in this course is simple: devote three hours a week to your writing. Through a series of engaging exercises, we’ll mine memory and imagination to bring ideas to life—building characters and settings, crafting dialogue, selecting point of view,, and exploring the nuances of voice across fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.
Each session includes time to discuss the writing process and share work aloud for supportive, on-the-spot feedback. With an emphasis on curiosity and craft, we’ll also read and discuss short pieces of published writing by authors including Margaret Atwood, Gwendolyn Brooks, and Mary Oliver to spark ideas and fuel your own work.
At the end of six weeks, you’ll leave class with a fresh set of drafts, new ideas to keep you writing, meaningful connections with fellow writers, and a stronger sense of your own voice on the page.
Mondays, Nov 3 - Dec 15 (skips 11/17) | 6:00 – 9:00pm ET | Grub Street, Boston Seaport | $395 ($380 members) | Register at: https://grubstreet.org/workshop/jumpstart-your-writing-shoen-fa25-2