About the Program
Writing for Animals is a four-week writing program designed to help writers become more effective advocates for animals. Using Writing for Animals as a text, we’ll examine the ways in which writers from myriad genres—fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and activist writing—handle the portrayal of animals in their work. The class sessions will include lectures and discussion as well as in-class writing so that all participants will be able to put into practice the tools they’ll be learning. (Please note that we will not be able to review in-class writing or read manuscripts.)
Participants will learn:
- How animal literature has evolved over the past hundred years and where it is headed
- What anthropomorphism is and how to address it through your writing
- How to give voices to animals while honoring their true voices
- How to create characters that pull readers in and open minds and hearts
- How to navigate the publishing industry, with a focus on animal writing
Participate via Zoom
This program will be hosted live using Zoom. (Please confirm your time zone to be sure you can attend; classes will not be recorded.) All you’ll need is a computer or smartphone and an internet connection. The day before each class is scheduled to begin, you’ll receive an email with a link to join the class meeting via Zoom. If you have questions about remote learning, please feel free to contact us. for more information.
What Writers Are Saying ...
“John and Midge are knowledgeable, positive, and generous. Their class is one part support group, one part craft lesson, one part animal education, and one part industry talk. Their experience as writers, publishers, and animal lovers translates into a comprehensive class. It is hands-down the best I’ve attended about the publishing industry. I came away with two concrete story ideas and more confidence querying my work.”
“John and Midge provide comprehensive insights from their personal work as writers and professional viewpoints as publishers. The information is thoughtfully organized and presented with heart, warmth, and sincerity. It’s hard to find all of that in one place but in Writing for Animals, I did.”
“An informed, interesting, and inspiring workshop that invites writers of all levels, and those interested in animals in all ways, to sharpen their pencils and create on behalf of all beings.”
“Midge and John are kind, knowledgeable writers and are making the world better for animals through their art.”
“John and Midge are extremely knowledgable and are doing vitally important work toward changing hearts and minds regarding non-human animal protection. I thank them for sharing this valuable knowledge with us in this excellent course.”
“The writing prompts were rich and generative. I finished the workshop with three new essays that I can add to my manuscript.”
“This course encouraged me to reflect on my long history of advocating for animals and developing plans for action in writing.”
This class is now full.
Please join our mailing list to learn about the next class, and feel free to contact us if you'd like to be placed on a waiting list for early registration.
Class Details
Dates: Saturdays, April 3 - April 24, 2021
Time: 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. PST
Fee: $150
Instructors: Midge Raymond & John Yunker
Class size is limited
Included
All participants receive a copy of Writing for Animals: New perspectives for writers and instructors to educate and inspire. US participants receive a choice between print and electronic versions. International participants receive an electronic edition (PDF, ePub or Kindle).
