The Naples Writers' Workshop
Our mission: The Naples Writers’ Workshop seeks to cultivate the literary arts by working with writers to develop their craft and by broadening opportunities for literary culture.
Short Fiction Workshop
The Naples Writers' Workshop began in 2014 as a fortnightly fiction workshop, and while many writers have come and gone since then, the workshop is still going strong. Even though we've grown quite a bit in the years since, this informal and supportive group remains the heart of the Naples Writers' Workshop. In addition, we also founded another workshop in Willoughby, Ohio, which began in 2022.
Each workshop meets in person every other Wednesday to discuss the short fiction (complete stories under 10,000 words) written by our members and to offer workshop-style feedback. We're always looking for new members who are interested in working with other writers to develop their stories and help others do the same. If you're a short-fiction writer local to Naples, FL or Willoughby, OH, send us a message to learn more.
Novel Mentorships
The Naples Writers' Workshop provides novel mentorship services to help writers complete or revise the first draft of their novels by providing feedback and guidance in the writing process. This program usually spans an entire year, depending on the length of the project (a novella might require only six to eight months), and because it's virtual, we're not constrained by geography. We provide feedback from two instructors on successive submissions of the evolving draft as well as periodic virtual meetings for discussion and encouragement to keep the project moving. By the end, you should have a complete manuscript and a plan for revising and polishing. Email us to learn more.
Writing Lectures and Courses
The Naples Writers' Workshop is starting a series of lectures and writing instruction at both the basic and advanced levels. Presented by our instructors, these lectures will provide lessons on various aspects of writing craft, including opportunities for writers to submit exercises for feedback. You can use these exercises to generate independent stories or help move forward your current work-in-progress.
Lessons will cover basic topics such as narration or dialogue, as well as advanced topics including subtext and perspective, and much more. Each lesson will comprise instruction, discussion, and feedback on exercises, and will be held virtually on our YouTube channel so they can be accessed on-demand afterward. Email us if you're interested and want to know more.
Why Is This Good? Podcast
Ongoing since 2018, the Naples Writers' Workshop produces the podcast "Why Is This Good?" where we present lessons from successful writing. Hosts Kristine Gill and J. C. Bronsted read a story for each episode and ask what makes the story good. They discuss how fiction works, the craft of writing, literary art, and what can be learned from examples of excellent writing. New episodes are posted on the 1st and 15th of each month.
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or at our YouTube Channel.
Newsletter
The Naples Writers' Workshop provides a weekly Newsleter right to your email inbox. If you're interested in industry news, great fiction, and stories about writing, sign up today:
About
Our mission: The Naples Writers’ Workshop seeks to cultivate the literary arts by working with writers to develop their craft and by broadening opportunities for literary culture.
Kristine Gill founded the Naples Writers' Workshop in 2014, and we have since had a continuously running short-story workshop for local writers in Naples, Florida. J. C. Bronsted joined the workshop in 2015 and continues to mentor the Naples workshop, while in 2022 Kristine began a second workshop in Willoughby, Ohio. In addition to these free workshops, over the years we've provided writing instruction and mentorship to many writers through our various programs, as well as public readings and our podcast.
Kristine Gill is the Founder and Executive Director of the Naples Writers' Workshop. She is an Ohio native who majored in journalism at Kent State University. She spent 10 years in the Sunshine State, working first as a journalist and later in media relations for the Collier County Sheriff's Office. Now, back in Ohio, she works as a full-time freelance writer and editor. Kristine has been published in Every Day Fiction and won the Florida Weekly 2017 writing contest. She founded the Naples Writers' Workshop in July 2014.
J. C. Bronsted is the Associate Director of the Naples Writers’ Workshop. Since earning his PhD at Florida Atlantic University, his work on the philosophy of literary cognition has appeared in Philosophy and Literature. He and his wife are raising twin daughters in Naples, FL. He joined the Naples Writers' Workshop in July 2015.