Five Tuesday Sessions
10:00-12:00 EST
11/11 – 12/9
Is there a time period from the past that moves you? An era you feel connected to? Many writers find that uncovering a moment in history through fiction can be the best way to reveal truths about the present moment – which may be why historical fiction remains such a popular genre. This workshop is for writers who are setting their story in a time period other than our own. Through readings from published works, craft discussions, research guidance, and lots of workshopping in a supportive and motivating environment, you’ll learn how to build a story that’s placed in the past yet feels universal and compelling to contemporary readers. Open to writers who have an idea and have started the writing process.
In addition to bringing up to five pages each week to read aloud to the class for discussion, each student will have one opportunity to submit up to fifteen double-spaced pages to the instructor and class members. The group will read the work ahead of time and come prepared to provide constructive feedback during class, following guidelines that will be presented at our first meeting.
Tuesdays
Barbara Josselsohn is the author of a series of nine contemporary and historical novels — most recently The Secret Orphanage, which was inspired by an actual town in southern France that saved more than 3,000 Jewish people, mostly children, during the Nazi occupation. Her articles and essays appear in The New York Times, New York Magazine, Writer’s Digest, Parents Magazine, Westchester Magazine, and other publications. Barbara teaches novel and essay writing at numerous venues and privately. She is a member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association andcoordinator of the Scarsdale Library Writers Center, which supports and promotes local writers. She is currently at work on a new historical novel inspired largely by the rich folklore of eastern Long Island, which is set to release in the summer of 2026. For more details, visit her at www.BarbaraJosselsohn.com.
Unlock creativity and inspire a passion for storytelling with the perfect gift—an invitation to a transformative writing experience at Westport Writers’ Workshop! Give the gift of creativity and self-expression.
