John Florio offers creative writing workshops both in Brooklyn, New York, and online, to groups of all sizes. Each workshop is aimed at helping writers sharpen their skills while providing a supportive environment in which to develop an existing manuscript or experiment with new work.
Drawing on his experience as a novelist, biographer, literary journalist, and MFA faculty member, John offers clear, pragmatic advice in craft bootcamps, narrative workshops, or one-on-one consultations.
Craft Bootcamps
Workshops meet on a single night (or weekend), and focus on writing techniques, such as point-of-view, interiority, voice, and retrospection. Participants not only critique each other’s work, but also deconstruct the work of popular authors, identifying what makes or breaks different techniques. In the end, participants leave with a stronger sense of craft, knowing what tools are at their disposal, and how/why/when to use them.
Narrative Workshops
Workshops are ongoing, usually taking place weekly for one- or two-month periods. In these sessions, writers focus on narrative skills such as structure, subtexts, character arcs, conflicts, pacing, and resolutions. Open to writers in all genres, these sessions are geared to those working on longer pieces, such as a novels, biographies, story collections, or memoirs. John leads the workshops, guiding writers as they analyze each other’s work; he also suggests reading lists that support the discussions. Participants leave inspired to continue developing their manuscript—with practical, nuts-and-bolts advice on how to make it even more appealing to readers, agents, and publishers.
One-on-One Consultations
John works with authors at all levels, offering one-on-one advice, either in person or online. Sessions vary according to need, but can include private creative writing lessons, a collaborative, rolling-up-of-the-sleeves manuscript revision, or line editing a polished memoir. Regardless of the project, John helps you bring it to publication.
Schedule and Rates
Contact johnflorio@mac.com for rates and upcoming workshop vacancies.