WriterHouse

09/02/2026

Submissions are now open for fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and translation.

For guidelines and to submit your work, visit: https://www.thesouthernreview.org/submissions

09/02/2026

Ink & Income
Focus: Getting the book into readers' hands.

This 6-week class is a unique gathering of successful strategists for all things publishing! Starting Sept. 9, 10:00 AM to 12:30 PM at WriterHouse. Whether you are a debut writer holding your first manuscript or an established author looking to professionalize your career, this course offers the practical tools to turn your art into a business. (You do not need to have taken the earlier modules to participate in this class!)

Learn more and register now at https://writerhouse.wildapricot.org/event-6564311

Weeks 1–2: The Launch Strategy
Planning the launch window, organizing launch teams (street teams), ARC distribution, and working with retailers.
Guest Spotlight: Flannery Buchanan (Working with Bookstores) & Dave Hirschman (Live Events).

Weeks 3–6: Ongoing Marketing
Moving beyond the launch. Strategies for social media engagement, an introduction to advertising, and public appearances.
Guest Spotlight: Marijean Oldham (Marketing) & Jeffrey Lofton (Public Speaking).

08/27/2026

In this course, students will practice ekphrastic poetry. By selecting a prompt, theme, or issue around which to center their poetic work, students will utilize the art of collage and follow a process that develops a poetic vision, which will ultimately be transitioned into poetic form.

This class will meet online for 8 weekly sessions starting Wednesday, Sept. 16 from 1 PM to 3:30 PM.

Sound intriguing? Learn more and register at https://writerhouse.org/event-6779613

08/26/2026

Romance and romantasy novels are the bestselling fiction genres, and romantic subplots are the most common type of subplot across genres. This class is a good fit for those new to writing romance as well as those who’ve been going it solo as they’ve developed their romance-writing skills. The class vibe will be welcoming, positive, and judgement-free as participants explore the genre.

Tuesdays, 9/15 - 11/3, online from 10 AM to 12:30 PM with Kristie Smeltzer and Meg Geiger

Learn more and register at https://writerhouse.org/Classes

08/19/2026

Registration for fall classes and seminars is open! Email [email protected] with any questions! Class descriptons and registration at https://writerhouse.org/Classes

08/11/2026

Fall classes are open for registration! Find your spot now at https://writerhouse.org/Classes

07/24/2026

This spring, WriterHouse and C-VILLE Weekly presented WriteNow! – a community campaign to inspire creative writing. The First Page contest invited authors to submit only the opening page of an original work. Bruce Holsinger, best selling author and UVA professor served as judge.

Congratulations to John M. Faust, winner, and Marian Bayker, runner-up! And thank you to every contestant for their stories!

Read the winning pages at https://c-ville.com/category/p-s/.

07/20/2026

Get out of the heat and into your imagination!

Leaving the Ordinary World and Returning with the Elixir is a writing seminar for novelists, memoirists, narrative nonfiction writers and authors of screen plans and stage plays, based on the universal concept of the Hero’s Journey.

When: Saturday, August 8th, 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Who: Instructor Ran Henry
Where: WriterHouse classroom
Learn more and register: https://writerhouse.wildapricot.org/event-6750581

07/17/2026

Congratulations to Bruce Holsinger!

Congratulations to the finalists of the 29th Annual Virginia Literary Awards! These finalists are outstanding Virginia authors in the areas of fiction, nonfiction, poetry and children’s literature. The nonfiction category includes any author whose book is on a Virginia subject.

The fiction finalists are:
• Bruce Holsinger | Culpability”
• Kevin Moffett | “Only Son”
• Princess Joy L. Perry | “This Here Is Love”

The nonfiction finalists are:
• Deborah Baker | “Charlottesville: An American Story”
• Stephen Starring Grant | “Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home”
• Beth Macy | “Paper Girl: A Memoir of Home and Family in a Fractured America”

The poetry finalists are:
• Gbenga Adesina | “Death Does Not End at the Sea”
• Latorial Faison | “Nursery Rhymes in Black: Poems”
• MaKshya Tolbert | “Shade is a place”

The children’s literary finalists are:
• Tom Angleberger | “Two-Headed Chicken: Chaos in the Cosmic Library”
• Kris Coronado | “Lighthouse Ladies: Shining a Spotlight on Hardy Heroines”
• Meg Medina | “Graciela in the Abyss”

The winner in each category will be announced during a gala celebration at the Library of Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 19, the Commonwealth’s premier event honoring Virginia authors and their contributions to literature.

The Virginia Literary Awards are presented by Dominion Energy. To get tickets visit https://www.lva.virginia.gov/events/litawards

07/16/2026

Every story shared has the power to remind someone they are not alone.

Since 2008, Challenge Into Change has created space for women and community members to reflect, write, and share experiences that inspire connection and hope.

Whether your story is about overcoming loss, finding your voice, navigating change, or discovering strength in unexpected places, your words may be exactly what someone else needs to hear.

We invite you to consider sharing your story with our community. Reading at the Community Celebration is optional. Submit your story by September 8 for inclusion in this year's Challenge Into Change book.

Share your story: https://www.thewomensinitiative.org/challenge-into-change

📷: 2023 Challenge Into Change Community Celebration