“Writing is an exploration.
You start from nothing and learn as you go.”
- E.L. Doctorow
Fall 2024 Workshop Sessions
PDX Writer’s Workshop, 8 weeks, Oct 19 - Dec 14
The Writers’ Laboratory, 6 weeks, Oct 15 - Nov 19
Learn more and register below
Coming in October!
PDX Writers’ Workshop
personal essay and memoir
Via Zoom
Fall 2024 Session
October 19th —
December 14th
Saturdays 10 am to 12:30 pm
8 weeks $400
For more information lee@pdxwritersworkshop.com or leebmontgomery@gmail.com
No class November 30th
Story. Story. Your stories. Personal essay and memoir. Fast. Slow. From flash to book length, we’ll be exploring techniques in narrative in all of its forms and glory. Pushing narrative boundaries, utilizing traditional and nontraditional forms. There will be A LOT of outside reading to fuel discussion on technique. Each session, two students will submit up to 20 pages for review by the class. Space is strictly limited to provide a supportive environment designed to allow everyone to explore their work through new techniques and constructive insights and feedback .
Payment of $400 is due at the start of the session. Other payment plans are available, just reach out to me. No Saturday classes will be held on long holiday weekends e.g. Thanksgiving.
The Writers’ Laboratory
Via Zoom
Fall 2024 Session
October 15th -
November 19th
Tuesdays 5:00-7:30 pm
6 weeks $300
Maximum writers: 10
For more information lee@pdxwritersworkshop or leebmontgomery@gmail.com
Frank Conroy, the long-time director of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop once said, “In good writing, you can feel a soul pressing up against the narrative.”
The question is how do writers discover that “soul” and translate it into good storytelling?
We’ll first focus on finding the soul that’s pushing you to write by offering a true laboratory, a safe place to inspire and experiment with new ideas generated by in-class prompts and exercises. We will talk about the craft of narrative, as well. Students will be required to read assigned essays and memoir excerpts outside of class to get a sense of the forms and techniques of narrative. The hope is students will be well on their way with a map for a new project by the end of class. The Writer’s Laboratory is ideal for beginning writers but also for more established writers seeking to generate new lively autobiographical material.
"Lee Montgomery was fantastic. She was an excellent facilitator and structured the discussions so that everyone had a chance to speak in constructive, analytical ways. Her constructive criticism was awesome. At the end of each group discussion, she spoke directly to the writer--so it was like we all got to listen in on a one-on-one conference. This was very enlightening, to hear from an editor's perspective what's working or not in a particular piece.”
—Tin House Summer Workshop Student