Frequently Asked Questions About Our Workshops
When are the workshop times?
Our workshops are 100% online. You can access your workshop at any time, from wherever you'd like--at 2 A.M. in your house, in your pajamas. Your instructor will post instructions at the start of the week, which will include topically-appropriate lectures, readings, discussions, and an assignment. Through our discussion board system, you'll be able to ask questions about the material. The courses are writing workshops, so the majority of the class will involve writing and commenting on the work of others. Your instructor will moderate this discussion, as well as provide detailed feedback for your work.
Will you help me get published?
Yes and no. Some MFA programs ignore publishing altogether-we won't do that. We want to help writers discover their niche in the writing world: maybe you should be writing memoir, or thrillers, or short stories, or self-publishing. We'll help you find other writers that have been successful with a similar writing style, and find publications that accept your style of writing. On the other hand, we can't hold the pen for you, and we can't mail out those queries.
What is the workshop experience like?
Our online workshops were custom designed using social network-style software, to maximize the connection and collaboration between students and teachers. Each student has a "writer's notebook," which teachers and other students will comment on as part of the workshop. Discussion boards, and the ability to post Facebook-like status updates are also a part of our classroom format.
What is your refund policy?
Basement Writing Workshop offers either a credit towards another workshop OR a refund minus a $25 processing fee up to a week before the first day of your workshop. From one week before to one week after the start date of your workshop, Basement Writing Workshop offers a 75% refund. No refunds or credits will be issued after the second week of class begins.