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, Gillian Flynn, author of Gone Girl, Dark Places, and Sharp Objects, will be in conversation with novelist and UMKC associate professor Whitney Terrell on Thursday, November 21. 

“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: 

Wednesday, Aug. 21: Character Building: How to Breathe Life into Your Characters 

Saturday, Aug. 24: Writing About Your Life: Flash Nonfiction 

Wednesday, Aug. 28: Figurative Language: Making Your Writing Sparkle 

Thursday, Aug. 29: Beginning a Novel 

Wednesday, Sept. 4: Poetry on the Page 

Thursday, Sept. 5: (Re)writing as Therapy 

Monday, Sept. 9: Flash Fiction: The Short-Short Story

Tuesday, Sept. 10: Back to the Future: Writing Your Family History

Wednesday, Sept. 18: Prose Poetry

Thursday, Sept. 19: Write What You See in This Picture

Saturday, Sept. 21: The Magic of Poetry

Wednesday, Sept. 25: Convincing Your Audience: The Art of Persuasion

Saturday, Sept. 28: Beginning a Novel

Tuesday, Oct. 1: Journaling Journey

Wednesday, Oct. 2: Building a Character

At the Heartland Book Festival 

Saturday, Oct. 12: Contrapuntal Poetry 

Saturday, Oct. 12: Flash Nonfiction: Writing About Your Life 

Saturday, Oct. 12: Writing a Ghost Story

Wednesday, Oct. 16: Figurative Language: Making Your Writing Sparkle  

Thursday, Oct. 17: (Re)writing as Therapy 

Thursday, Oct. 24: Writing About Your Life: Flash Nonfiction

Saturday, Oct. 26: Poetry on the Page  

Tuesday, Oct. 29: Writing a Ghost Story

Wednesday, Oct. 30: Flash Fiction: the Short-Short Story

Wednesday, Nov. 6: The Magic of Poetry

Wednesday, Nov. 6: Cover Letters: Writing Your Way Into a New Job or Apartment

Saturday, Nov. 9: Narrative Techniques/Free Write

Wednesday, Nov. 13: Flash Nonfiction: Writing About Your Life

Thursday, Nov. 14: Back to the Future: Writing Your Family History

Tuesday, Nov. 19: Beginning a Novel

Wednesday, Nov. 20: Character Building: How to Breathe Life Into Your Characters

Wednesday, Nov. 27: Poetry on the Page 

Monday, Dec. 2: Figurative Language: Making Your Writing Sparkle

Thursday, Dec. 5: Writing About Your Life: Flash Nonfiction

Saturday, Dec. 14: (Re)writing as Therapy