"This is the fourth class I've taken at PVWW and the second multi-week one, and I continue to be super impressed by the high quality of instruction, class participation and collaboration. You encourage creative idea generation and thoughtful approaches to craft in an ultra supportive, inclusive environment focused on positive critique, community and growth. Boom." |
"Carolyn Zaikowski is an excellent instructor and creative motivator, always encouraging her students to be themselves, to trust themselves, but also to experiment. Her insights on craft match or surpass MFA-equivalent instruction. Outstanding." |
"[Gail Thomas] is an excellent teacher -- a wise woman of poetry. [She] brings the sensitivity that poetry requires, the knowledge of time spent in trenches of verse, an inclusivity that makes writing easy for your students." |
"Carolyn [Zaikowski] is a fabulous instructor. Not only was the material eye-opening and fresh, but she did a great job juggling lots of different personalities and people at all different levels of skill. It was a safe and powerful container!" |
"Kate [Senecal] is such a wonderful teacher and leader. She is amazing at giving thoughtful feedback and fostering a feeling of community. She is brilliant, funny, and kind. I feel so fortunate to have found this class with her!" |
"Gail Thomas is a very warm and welcoming leader. And she knows her facts. I enjoyed everything about this workshop. Liked the exercise at the end and the discussion that ensued." |
"This is my second workshop so far with Pioneer Valley Writers and I just can't say enough good things. Excellent instructors, a joy of the craft, and learning a ton of great things. I've taken workshops all over, and these are some of my favorites--and reasonably priced too! Highly recommend." |
"I don’t think I can adequately express how much I enjoyed this class! Take all the best, most positive adjectives you can think of and then apply them to the class, the instructor Carolyn [Zaikowski], the other participants, the prompts and the readings!" |
"Can't say enough about PVWW, Joy, and her amazing team of teachers! Writing is very much about the ability to sit in your seat for hours and put pen to paper, but coming to PVWW helps you build a community around your writing, breathe new life into your efforts, and get out of your own head a bit. And beyond that, I've learned lots of practical, nuts-and-bolts techniques that have vastly improved my work." |
"This class was a wonderful experience for me. It is the first time I have ever participated in anything like this outside of college courses, so I had no idea what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I was able to engage in the writing process and the words literally flowed onto the paper with very little effort thanks to Carolyn [Zaikowski's] helpful guidance." |
"I have been writing stories for about a year, but was unsure how to go about revising. This workshop was just what I needed. Now I have tools in my toolbox with which to work. I am inspired and activated." |
"Joy [Baglio] is wonderful. I have been participating in her workshops throughout the pandemic and this was my second course. This one was loaded with practical info as well as encouragement. I especially loved Joy's illuminating insights about our first lines: so helpful! It was also great that participants happened to be at many different levels of experience and had much to share. This class truly answered all my questions about beginning to submit short stories for publication." |
"A truly excellent class. Joy [Baglio] is wonderful. Her teaching is very clear and allows all involved to be included in discussion and clarification when needed." |
"Celia [Jeffries] is a master teacher and workshop facilitator. Time flew by, she had us working hard, and left us energized to continue on our own." |
"This was one of the best writing workshops I have ever attended. I have been writing for decades, but this class gave me new ways to think about putting a story together. It was extremely helpful and motivating." |
Although I was skeptical at first (strategic planning for creative writing sounded like a bit of an oxymoron to me), this workshop was INVALUABLE. Francine walked us through a number of steps that opened up questions and ideas for actually creating a full manuscript. I will continue to use her strategies in many areas of my life, Thank you! |
"Carolyn [Zaikowski} has a gift for teaching. She was engaging and gently challenged each participant in a way that felt safe to explore and play within the elements of fiction without judgement. I appreciated her keen awareness and her ability to communicate with authenticity. Carolyn led thought provoking conversations with us that led me to a new understanding of the fiction tools available to me as a writer...She was hands down one of the best professors I’ve ever had because she gave me one of the best gifts a student can receive: to be seen and truly heard, supported and encouraged without clouding the space with pessimism or heavy handed opinions. She helped me to explore and push my writing into new places each week with the assignments and well-planned famous works chosen for the class. With a clear natural talent for teaching, Carolyn is priceless. I am grateful for her wisdom and courage. I cannot say enough about what a pleasure it was to learn and write with her. Highly recommend!!" |
"I feel something special happened over the course of the recent PVWW sessions. Gail [Thomas'] supportive listening ear and constructive critique has helped sharpen my own pen to revise poems. Every one of the group brought an authentic poetic voice to our gathering. Thank you Gail Thomas, all of the writers & readers, and Pioneer Valley Writers' Workshop." |
I am a writer of personal essays, and this workshop gave me tools and knowledge to advance my skills, improve my technique, and increase my own confidence in my writing. Áine [Greaney] is a talented and experienced instructor who gave honest and meaningful information. I left with new-found knowledge as well as inspiration. I will absolutely put my new tools to work for me to develop both new habits and new pieces of work. Aine also gave tools to look at my essay drafts both objectively and subjectively for revision. I found the information about narrative voice, using the voice of experience vs. the voice of innocence, and the information about how to open an essay particularly useful. This workshop was money and time very well-spent! |
"The workshop was informative and fun. I really loved hearing about Gail [Thomas'] experiences with having each of her 4 books published. I also appreciated the informal atmosphere. Gail touched on all of the subjects promised. I'm not sure when I'll be submitting any of my poems, but I have a much better grasp of how it should be done effectively. Since it was my first workshop ever that had anything to do with poetry, it was a perfect introduction. Just hearing what each of the other poets had to say was so interesting. It was such a nice group of people. I also enjoyed each poem that was shared in the reading session." |
"I enjoyed everything: Joy [Baglio's] energy, breadth of knowledge about the topic, the variety of exercises, the pace, the built-in breaks, the ineffable community-building that Joy creates among the group members." |
"The two workshops I have taken with Pioneer Valley Writers' Workshop were both excellent, chocked full of information, handouts, and intelligent discussion. Workshop leaders really knew their stuff!" |
"It was a perfect mix of practical advice and creative work. Really really helpful and inspirational." |
"Sara [Rauch]'s extensive knowledge of the subject matter made this a completely worthwhile class to take (worth the money, certainly). Her experience as both a writer and an editor gave me some very useful tips. I appreciated that she centered the class around our questions and interests." |
"Really clear, practical and detailed advice about editing and how to look at a poem as a whole constructed thing; convivial, helpful workshop group."
- Sara Eddy, Revising & Polishing Your Poems, with Gail Thomas
“Great discussion about character development and the relationship to dialogue. I now know what is meant when referring to a trope as a character and to avoid them when I’m writing a story. I’m finally able to develop my characters. I was all over the place before I took this workshop. Thank you Carolyn!"
- Marj Snyder, Creating Characters, with Carolyn Zaikowski
"I've always admired the ability of good writers to craft a powerful closing, but had never recognized/analyzed the mechanics of the craft. Identifying these techniques with concrete examples was very helpful. Joy is an outstanding instructor."
-Ed Orzechowski, author of I Think You'll Like It Here: The Story of Donald Vitkus | The Art of the Ending, with Joy Baglio
"Joy's knowledge and her ability to transfer this knowledge is exceptional. A confident communicator and facilitator, she effectively achieves the goals of the session through the interplay of the participant's ideas and concepts."
-Jim Spencer, The Art of the Ending, with Joy Baglio
"The subject was of perfect timing for my craft. The handouts were a perfect collection for the workshop. The workshop group, as usual, was a fun group of dedicated and lovely writers and the facilitator was spectacular in every way: Smart, kind, experienced, caring, funny, unbelievably helpful and committed. I'll be back!"
- Steve Bernstein, author of Stories from the Stoop | Flash Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"Joy designed a very effective mix of discussion, reading, writing, and sharing that inspired me to try out some ideas and forms that I'll definitely return to. And it was great to spend the day with other writers in a fun environment as well."
- John Sheirer, Flash Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"So well organized! A really helpful and lucid handout, and Joy's respectful, nuanced instruction style. I learned a ton, even though I had to leave partway through (much to my regret). It was an intelligent, accessible and yet sophisticated intro to writing flash."
- Liz Bedell, Flash Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"Joy is very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly... [She] was well prepared and utilized the time well, allowing time for her instruction and our input. She was interested in what everyone had to say and offered ample support and encouragement. The handout continues to be useful for me, as well as her suggestions. She was clearly committed to the success of her class."
-Kimberly Smith, Flash Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"The tone was serious but fun and Joy was great at directing the class...Everything was executed perfectly."
-Elise Ghitman, Flash Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"Joy's feedback was, unsurprisingly, very useful and specific. It's the sort of editorial eye writer's always hope for - someone who can recognize big picture ideas and structure, but also provide very specific notes on lines, characters, dialogue, and style."
-Emily Everett, Managing Editor of The Common
"[The class] was packaged very well! The handouts are a great resource to keep around as I write, and the quoted material was excellent. In under two hours, Joy guided us adeptly and concisely through the subject. A+!!!"
-Edo Mor, All About Character, with Joy Baglio
"Kate is a thoughtful and well prepared instructor. She nurtures and challenges each student and has facilitated my understanding of, and appreciation for, the field of fiction writing. Kate has helped me become a better writer and a better reader."
- Christopher Fox, Intro to Fiction, with Kate Senecal
"Kate was well-prepared with fun and challenging exercises...our speedwriting flowed...I was surprised when my own pen kept going with real energy, and I could tell others left with the same encouragement and inspiration simply because we had really worked, which is what a workshop is all about. Thanks so much! A genuinely memorable experience. Kate was a super leader."
-Marcia Lewis, Intro to Fiction, with Kate Senecal
"Kate was very upbeat and encouraging...All the exercises were very helpful and interesting to complete."
-CJ Lammers, Intro to Fiction, with Kate Senecal
"Kate’s knowledge of craft is wide. Her depth of books and stories to resource for us to read as well as pull at in class for examples is immense. She’s quick to delve into our manuscript and dissect them in a short amount of time...Our group gelled well and I am thankful for the experience."
- Linda Rowland-Buckley, Intro to Fiction, with Kate Senecal
"Celia's skill at teaching and facilitating is a rare pleasure to experience in a writing course.. I learned a huge amount."
- Blake Mills, Memoir Workshop, with Celia Jeffries
"Celia is a skilled teacher and facilitator. She establishes a comfortable yet structured group setting that serves to coalesce a group of strangers into a community of writers. All within a brief six weeks together."
- Stephanie Shafran, Memoir Workshop, with Celia Jeffries
"I came away with a much better understanding of memoir as a form of writing and with "tools for my toolbox".
- Chris Fox, Memoir Workshop, with Celia Jeffries
"The atmosphere was really calm and inviting. Questions were welcomed and my classmates were great! All the information I received, though overwhelming, was broken up in a way that seemed possible for me to tackle in the future. That's thanks to Joy! She is a wonderful teacher, super friendly, and incredibly open to the needs of her students. I'm grateful!"
- Rachel Bowen, The Path to Publishing Your Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"Great primer on publishing for the uninitiated. It was also helpful to read unpublished work (it has been a while since I've had opportunity) and get feedback. I look forward to building on this experience in future workshops, and now feel I have a better idea of what I'm shooting for in the revision process."
- Brien Tal-Baker, The Path to Publishing Your Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"Joy was welcoming/approachable/knowledgeable. The packet we received had so much valuable info all in one place. I also appreciated the opportunity to get feedback on a bit of my work."
- Brian Westerlind, The Path to Publishing Your Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"This class was incredible informative. I have a much better understanding now of how to get my work out there. So many resources were shared during class!"
- Katie Gartner, The Path to Publishing Your Fiction, with Joy Baglio
"[This class] was EXACTLY what I needed to positively affect the relationship I have with my writing process...The connections between meditation, mindfulness, and writing help anchor me to the present moment, where I can simply let the words flow without worrying so much about what form the finished product might later take! I got SO much out of this experience and am so excited to continue practicing what I learned outside of the classroom!"
- Sarah Knowles, Mindfulness Meditation and Writing, with Carolyn Zaikowski
About Our Manuscript Consulting Services
"Sara [Rauch] was very professional, stuck to the timeline she gave me, read my manuscript I feel very thoroughly and gave me detailed, thoughtful feedback and advice. She definitely helped me see how to move forward with my manuscript. I would recommend her highly."
- Jim Henry
"My experience with Kate was fantastic. Her enthusiasm about my project was contagious, and it gave me the confidence I needed to bring my work to the next level. Her advice about how to improve my writing was also immediately actionable. As a result of our couple of conversations, I feel much clearer about where I'm headed, and my writing has greatly improved."
- Katherine Golub, Founder of Core Brilliance Academy
I was in a stuck spot, sitting on a draft of memoir that I knew needed to go somewhere, but didn't know where. Kate offered me well lit-paths forward and surpassed my expectations with her clear, thorough, and compassionate feedback. I would highly recommend her to anyone seeking edits at any stage of a fiction or non-fiction project. Kate identified and clearly communicated what was and was not working in the manuscript in a way that left me feeling relieved and understood. I am eager and well-equipped to continue with this project, now able to see aspects of myself and my writing that previously eluded me.
- Anne Zager
"Joy is an exceptional reader and editor. Not only is she thorough with grammatical edits, but she's also terrific in critiquing my stories from a craft perspective. Be it character motivation, the veracity of dialogue, stakes, overarching themes, or other aspects of story-building, she has a keen sense of what works and what doesn't, and my stories are so much stronger for her feedback."
-Maria Lioutaia, 2016 Tin House Scholar & NYU MFA candidate
"Joy is an amazingly thoughtful and astute reader and editor. Best of all, she is incredibly encouraging and positive. Though she gives specific feedback on where to improve, it is always constructive and helpful. She gave me some of the most methodical and specific edits on a short story I wrote, which made a world of difference to the piece. Thank you Joy!"
- Hayley Phelan
"I enthusiastically recommend Joy Baglio's skills as an editor, having presented her with a sprawling, 25-page short story I'd been working on for a long time...Joy's work on the story helped tip me in the direction of turning this dense and confusing piece into what it wants to be: a novel. I'm keeping her notes and questions in front of me as I now proceed to write it."
-Maureen Henderson
"Joy has a great attitude. She offers her skill and experience in every aspect of the editor-author relationship. Grateful for her hard work!"
-Christina
"Joy provides invaluable feedback! She has a knack for interpreting a writer's intentions. She knows the story you're trying to tell. She knows its strengths and its weaknesses. Her expert advice will help you fix things in your story that are broken, as well as things you didn't even know needed fixing. She is a brilliant mind, a great communicator, and a very sweet person. I'll definitely be sending my future projects her way."
-Drew Rogers
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