The Library is pleased to announce a new season of writing classes taught by graduate students in the Master of Fine Arts creative writing program at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Course offerings cover a wide range of skills – from crafting a resume or cover letter to writing sonnets and family histories – and are free and open to anyone of any education level or writing background. 

The university-quality classes are made possible by proceeds from the annual Writers for Readers fundraiser, a partnership between the Kansas City Public Library and UMKC. This year, Lan Samantha Chang, author of The Family Chao, one of Barack Obama’s 2022 summer reading list selections, will be in conversation with novelist and UMKC associate professor Whitney Terrell on Thursday, October 5. 

“I’ve learned so much about writing from brilliant and generous mentors and teachers, and I’m excited to share that with the Kansas City community,” says Alex Tretbar, one of three MFA candidates at UMKC who will teach the courses.  

The partnership also supports the Maya Angelou Book Award, a national literary prize recognizing outstanding new contributions to literature and social justice in fiction and poetry. This school year, Tretbar will teach classes, but is also the intern assigned to work with the book award committee.  

The award was established in 2020 by the Kansas City Public Library, UMKC, and five other state universities and comes with a $10,000 stipend. 

The winner will be announced at the Writers for Readers event. 

 Check the events calendar for details and to RSVP: 

Monday, Sept. 11: Journaling Journey 

Wednesday, Sept. 13: Fiction Writing: Using Figurative Language 

Saturday, Sept. 23: Write What You See in This Picture 

Monday, Sept. 25: Back to the Future: Writing Your Family History 

Tuesday, Sept. 26: Writing a Resume for Success 

Saturday, Sept. 30: Story Writing: How to Build Background With Imagery and Setting 

At the Heartland Book Festival 

Saturday, Oct. 7: Writing About Your Life: Flash Nonfiction 

Saturday, Oct. 7: Prose Poetry: Exploring the Borderlands Between Two Genres 

Saturday, Oct. 7: Fiction Fast: Writing 1,000-Word Stories 

Tuesday, Oct. 10: Writing Poetry: Free Advice on Free Verse 

Thursday, Oct. 12: Writing a Ghost Story 

Monday, Oct. 16: Writing for Social Media 

Thursday, Oct. 19: The Music Lover’s Fiction Writing Class  

Monday, Oct. 23: (Re)writing as Therapy 

Tuesday, Oct. 24: Characterization in Fiction: Writing a Character Into Life 

Thursday, Nov. 2: Beginning a Novel 

Saturday, Nov. 4: Fiction Writing: Using Figurative Language 

Monday, Nov. 6: Journaling Journey 

Wednesday, Nov. 8: Writing a Resume for Success 

Tuesday, Nov. 14: Story Writing: How to Build Background With Imagery and Setting 

Friday, Nov. 17: Write What You See in This Picture 

Saturday, Nov. 18: The Modern Sonnet: Bending and Breaking a Tradition 

Monday, Nov. 27: Writing Poetry: Free Advice on Free Verse 

Tuesday, Nov. 28: Back to the Future: Writing Your Family History 

Monday, Dec. 4: Beginning a Novel 

Wednesday, Dec. 6: The Music Lover’s Fiction Writing Class  

Saturday, Dec. 9: Cover Letters: Writing Your Way Into a New Job or Apartment 

Monday, Dec. 11: Writing for Social Media 

Wednesday, Dec. 13: Fiction Fast: Writing 1,000-Word Stories