At-A-Glance: Upcoming Classes & Workshops (2027)

See below for a list of upcoming classes and workshops.

Find out if a class with Words & Silence is right for you and your writing process, with this FREE workshop!  Participants get an inside look into two upcoming courses being offered this winter:  the Playwriting Workshop, and Examining McKee’s “STORY” (Part I). We’ll examine all the necessary dramatic elements needed to make a play sing, and writers will be led through writing exercises, designed to help them spark new ideas and generate fresh material.

And for anyone who has never taken a Words & Silence class before, registering for this free workshop gets you a $25 credit on your first Words & Silence class in 2027!  (Terms and conditions apply).

This 7-week online workshop is dedicated to helping playwrights refine their dramatic skills, develop new work, and/or workshop plays already in progress.  Each session, writers have pages read and discussed by both the cohort and the instructor.  Additionally, writing prompts/exercises are provided to help students generate new material and spur creativity; those same exercises and prompts can be applied to existing work, to help jumpstart writers on work they feel has stalled. Whether you want to develop a new play, workshop a piece in progress, or bring in a play for a tune-up, there are tools and exercises available to you. All levels welcome.

The Next Words & Silence: Playwriting Workshop Begins on January 10th.

This class—part one of a four part series—is an in-depth examination of Robert McKee’s seminal work, “STORY.” Covering the first two sections of McKee’s book (‘The Writer & the Art of Story,’ and ‘The Elements of Story,’) students will explore the importance of setting, world building, character design, and the essential role of genre. Weekly reading assignments will be paired with correlating writing exercises, each one designed to help writers incorporate McKee’s concepts into their own writing. The class will be an even mix of open discussion, writing exercises, and workshopping of student materials.

A holistic approach to dramaturgy, this 7 week Dramaturgy Masterclass focuses on a writer's play as a whole, allowing students to examine both the micro and macro within their work.  Writers will submit one complete, full-length play to be workshopped/developed over the course of the class. Writers will then receive a comprehensive, in-depth evaluation of their play from the instructor, including page-by-page specific notes, as well as feedback from fellow students.  All dramatic elements will be examined, including:  plot, theme, structure, use of theatricality, character development, dialogue, use of action, etc. Each session will focus on the work of 2-3 writers, ensuring that each play and writer receive the full attention they deserve. All levels welcome.

This class is limited to 6 participants; writers accepted by submission only.

Play submissions due March 31st, 2027 (9pm CST)

Class & Workshop Calendar