The Art of Storytelling on the Page and on the Stage
A Six-Month Writing Workshop with Nina Wise
Thursdays 10:00am–11:30am Pacific Time, on Zoom
September 2026 – Febuary 2027
Every life is filled with stories waiting and wanting to be told. Stories from childhood. Stories from today and yesterday. Stories we’ve told many times, and stories we’ve never found the words to tell. Some have been carried for years. Others arrive spontaneously as we begin to write . All invite us to look more closely at what it means to be human.
Often we think we know a story because we remember what happened. But writing asks something more of us: to discover what the experience meant, what was happening beneath the surface, and how to shape it into something another person can enter.
During this 6-month journey you will receive a weekly teaching about a particular element of the craft—- not a set of rules but a way of shaping, deepening and refining a story. Character, setting, sensory detail, scene, dialogue, time, and narrative movement are ways of bringing a story to life. As our understanding of craft deepens, so does our capacity to recognize what is most alive and essential in a story.
You will have time to write together, read your work aloud, listen with attention, and discover what can make your writing more powerful and true.
We will approach the work with both rigor and playfulness, trusting that imagination flourishes when curiosity and experimentation have plenty of room.
As we deepen our craft, we also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. In this way, storytelling becomes a practice of attention and presence.
WHAT WE DO
Each week includes:
A teaching on an aspect of storytelling craft
Guided visualization and timed writing
Reading work aloud in small groups with supportive feedback
Discussion and reflection
HOW IT WORKS
19 live Zoom sessions (90 minutes each)
Two private consultations with Nina (on submissions up to 3,500 words)
Optional weekly cohort group meetings (3–4 writers)
Written notes and reading lists
Recordings available throughout the course and four weeks after
WHO THIS IS FOR
This workshop welcomes writers at all stages.
Whether beginning a first piece, returning after a long pause, or working on an ongoing project, writers will find structure, support, and a space to develop both craft and voice.
CLASS DATES
Thursdays — all sessions will be recorded
September 17, 24
October 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
November 5, 12
December 3, 10, 17
January 14, 21, 28
February 4, 11, 18, 25
CLASS FEE
$2350
Can be payable in 2 installments:
$1,200 upon acceptance into the program
$1,150 due December 1, 2025
DEADLINES
Submission deadlines (up to 3500 words)
Dec 1, 2026 and Feb 1, 2027
APPLICATION
$35 application fee. Apply by August 25, 2026
To apply, please send a writing sample of 1500 words or less to: ninawise78@gmail.com
And pay the application fee using the link below.
REGISTRATION
If you have received notification of acceptance, please purchase to register.
About Nina
Nina Wise is an award-winning writer, theater artist and dharma teacher. Her book, A Big New Free Happy Unusual Life: Self-Expression and Spiritual Practice for Those Who Have Time for Neither was published by Broadway Books/Random House and translated into German and Portuguese. Her stories and essays have been featured in numerous journals including The Sun, Yoga Journal, Tricycle, Shambhala Sun, and collected in anthologies. She has been awarded multiple fellowships and awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Marin Arts Council, Theater Bay Area, Society for Experiments in Contemporary Art to name just a few. More here.
Refund Policy
We understand the unexpected can arise. And we want to do our best to support your utmost well being however, because we are limiting the number of participants in this workshop, we will not be able to offer refunds. In case of severe illness that prohibits you from completing the workshop, we will discuss on an individual basis applying a pro-rated amount of your fee to a future workshop.