Pathway: Discover & Explore

Discover & Explore Offerings

Perfect for beginners or the creatively curious, this pathway offers a welcoming space to build confidence, uncover new interests, and connect with other curious readers and writers.

Loft Connect Live Aug 2026 Alexandra Sifferlin, Ty Chapman, Anika Fajardo, and Emily Bright
Loft Connect Live | Aug 19

Celebrate some of the Loft's most vibrant new voices. Join us to discover fresh perspectives, hear compelling live excerpts, and connect in conversation. We'll be joined by New York Times health columnist Alexandra Sifferlin, MPR's Emily Bright, and award-winning writers Anika Fajardo and Ty Chapman.

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Loft Sampler Classes
Summer Samplers

Not sure which class to take this summer? Try out a sampler. Meet the teaching artist, fellow students, and dive into a quick lesson and see if you want to explore more deeply. 

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The Loft Writing Network 2
The Loft's New Writing Network

Get to know the Loft better, find connections with other writers, and even sign up for peer feedback and peer accountability sessions. 

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Discover & Explore Classes
Discover & Explore
Online
Double Session
Developing a Daily Creative Writing Practice
Date
Aug 8, 2026 - Aug 15, 2026
Time
Saturday, 10 a.m. - Saturday, 12 p.m.
Price
$74.00
$66.60 (Friend)
blonde woman with a black and white blouse and a pearl bracelet smiling
Heidi Newbauer
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Place-Based Writing with Rachel Werner
Date
Time
Wednesday, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
headshot of a bi-racial woman with reddish hair who is smiling
Rachel Werner
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Horror Writing with Lacey Dunham
Date
Time
Wednesday, 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Woman in red jacket smiling against yellow backdrop outdoors.
Lacey Dunham
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Personal Essay with Savannah Brooks
Date
Time
Thursday, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Brooks leaning against and staring out a window while wearing a burnt-orange dress
Savannah Brooks
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Screenwriting with Michael Gorrie
Date
Time
Tuesday, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Michael Gorrie
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Poetry with Chelsea DesAutels
Date
Time
Wednesday, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
black and white author photo
Chelsea DesAutels
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Characters with Jared Sayet
Date
Time
Wednesday, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Jared Sayet
Jared Sayet
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Poetry with Kelly Westhoff and Nissa Valdez
Date
Time
Wednesday, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Kelly Westhoff
Kelly Westhoff
Nissa Valdez
Nissa Valdez
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Playwriting with J.R. Dawson
Date
Time
Thursday, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Photo of person smiling
JR Dawson
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Writing Habits with Aimee Seiff Christian
Date
Time
Thursday, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Aimee Seiff Christian
Aimee Seiff Christian
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Fiction with Sruthi Narayanan
Date
Time
Thursday, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Sruthi Narayanan
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Fiction Basics: Five Parts of Story
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Craft & Community with Nuria Sheehan
Date
Time
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Nuria Sheehan headshot
Nuria Sheehan
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Narrative Nonfiction with Elise Leise
Date
Time
Saturday, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Elise Leise headshot
Elise Leise
Discover & Explore
In-Person
6 Week
Introduction to Fiction
Date
Sep 15, 2026 - Oct 20, 2026
Time
Tuesday, 6 p.m. - Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Price
$222.00
$199.80 (Friend)
Holly Day
Discover & Explore
Online
4 Week
Nostalgia, Memory, and Confession—Writing Your Memoir
Date
Sep 17, 2026 - Oct 8, 2026
Time
Thursday, 12 p.m. - Thursday, 2 p.m.
Price
$148.00
$133.20 (Friend)
Holly Day
Discover & Explore
In-Person
8 Week
Building Your Writing Process
Date
Sep 17, 2026 - Nov 5, 2026
Time
Thursday, 1 p.m. - Thursday, 3 p.m.
Price
$222.00
$199.80 (Friend)
michael robinson headshot
Michael Robinson
Discover & Explore
Online
6 Week
Telling Your Story, Finding Your Truth
Date
Sep 17, 2026 - Oct 22, 2026
Time
Thursday, 6 p.m. - Thursday, 8 p.m.
Price
$222.00
$199.80 (Friend)
Carolyn Holbrook
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Fiction Basics: Characters & Characterization
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
Online
Sampler
Fall Sampler: Poetry with Nicole W. Lee
Date
Time
Wednesday, 6 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Price
$12.00
$10.80 (Friend)
Nicole W. Lee
Nicole W. Lee
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Fiction Basics: Point of View
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
In-Person
Single Session
Write Your Life: An Essential Guide to Writing Memoir
Date
Time
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Price
$74.00
$66.60 (Friend)
Kate St. Vincent Vogl
Discover & Explore
In-Person
Single Session
Podcasting for Writers
Date
Time
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Price
$74.00
$66.60 (Friend)
Deborah Copperud
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Fiction Basics: Scene, Summary, and Narrative Time
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
In-Person
6 Week
First Steps into Writing
Date
Oct 6, 2026 - Nov 3, 2026
Time
Tuesday, 12 p.m. - Tuesday, 2 p.m.
Price
$222.00
$199.80 (Friend)
Woman smiling against backdrop of trees.
Patricia Hoolihan
Discover & Explore
In-Person
4 Week
Diversifying Writers: Writing & Publishing for Neurodivergent Artists
Date
Oct 8, 2026 - Oct 29, 2026
Time
Thursday, 10 a.m. - Thursday, 12 p.m.
Price
$148.00
$133.20 (Friend)
Alysandra Dutton
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Fiction Basics: Creative Language
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
In-Person
Single Session
Substack: What the Heck Is It, and How Can I Use it?
Date
Time
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Kristin Johnson
Kristin Johnson
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Fiction Basics: Setting
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
In-Person
Single Session
As Above, So Below: Magical Approaches to Writing
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Elle Thoni
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Fiction Basics: Emotional Range
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Short Fiction Writing and Story Submission for Novices
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Jenn Bouchard
Jenn Bouchard
Discover & Explore
In-Person
Single Session
Writing Resistance Haiku
Date
Time
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Price
$74.00
$66.60 (Friend)
Kelly Westhoff
Kelly Westhoff
Nissa Valdez
Nissa Valdez
Discover & Explore
In-Person
Single Session
The Art of the Interview for Narrative Nonfiction
Date
Time
Saturday, 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Price
$74.00
$66.60 (Friend)
Elise Leise headshot
Elise Leise
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Writing with Nature Magic
Date
Time
Saturday, 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Discover & Explore
In-Person
4 Week
Introduction to Playwriting
Date
Oct 27, 2026 - Nov 17, 2026
Time
Tuesday, 6 p.m. - Tuesday, 8 p.m.
Price
$148.00
$133.20 (Friend)
Photo of person smiling
JR Dawson
Discover & Explore
Online
6 Week
From Novice to Novelist
Date
Oct 28, 2026 - Dec 9, 2026
Time
Wednesday, 6 p.m. - Wednesday, 8 p.m.
Price
$222.00
$199.80 (Friend)
John DeDakis
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Fiction Basics: Revision
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
In-Person
4 Week
Finding Your Story: Keys to Discovering Your Full Narrative
Date
Nov 4, 2026 - Dec 2, 2026
Time
Wednesday, 12 p.m. - Wednesday, 2 p.m.
Price
$148.00
$133.20 (Friend)
Kate St. Vincent Vogl
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Personal Essay for Beginners
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Brian Malloy
Discover & Explore
In-Person
Single Session
Writing Mindfulness
Date
Time
Saturday, 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Michael Kiesow Moore
Discover & Explore
Online
Single Session
Writing Blogs & Newsletters: Get Started or Recharge Your Online Writing
Date
Time
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Price
$55.50
$49.95 (Friend)
Nuria Sheehan headshot
Nuria Sheehan
Discover & Explore
In-Person
Single Session
True Starts: Writing Your Memoir’s First Page
Date
Time
Saturday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Price
$74.00
$66.60 (Friend)
Kevin Fenton
Kevin Fenton