Writing classes, open to any level writer and sponsored by The Writers’ Workshop, a non-profit center since 1985, will meet at Providence Presbyterian Church, Providence Road, Charlotte on Saturdays, 12-5 p.m.

Registration is in advance only, at www.twwoa.org. For more info, contact writersw@gmail.com or 828-254-8111. Financial assistance is available for low-income writers.

Feb. 20:  Writing Your Memoirs with Karen Ackerson — Participants will learn how to turn personal and family experiences into a compelling memoir for family and friends or for publication. In-class writing exercises will help to identify life-changing events, to be used as the backbone of a memoir. Discussion will include creating a sense of place, dialogue, and enhancing one’s writing style. Ackerson, a biographer and senior editor at The Renbourne Editorial Agency, has taught workshops throughout the Southeast. $75 or $70 Workshop members.

March 5:  Creating and Publishing the Poetry Chapbook with Richard Krawiec — This workshop will explore poetic revision strategies and ways to identify themes and organize poems into a collection for submission.  Information on submitting to literary publishers will also be discussed. Students may bring up to 10 poems to the class for review. Krawiec is the author of two chapbooks, “Breakdown” and “She Hands Me the Razor.” He has been published in Shenandoah, Witness, NC Literary Review, Florida Review and Cream City Review, among other journals.  $75/$70 Workshop members.

March 19: Science Fiction Writing with Norris Orbach — The class will discuss award- winning science fiction stories, and learn techniques of science fiction writing such as creating a simplified plot, and how to create a workable world in a strange environment. Themes such as robots, time travel and extraterrestrials will also be examined. Students may bring up to 5 pages or a story idea to the class for review. Orbach has taught writing for more than 16 years at community colleges, and at UNCA’s OLLI Center.  $75/$70 members.

April 9:  Building a Platform From Scratch with Jane Gari — Agents and editors are more eager to take on writers who have proven their self-promoting hustle pre-contract. Getting published isn’t just about your book. It’s about you and your sphere of influence — your platform. Platform building is about fostering relationships and meaningful interactions with your audience. In this workshop you’ll learn how to create a following and gain public visibility; define your target audience and design platform outlets with them in mind; brand yourself in a way that makes you attractive to readers; network effectively. Gari has been published in print and online in literary journals, arts magazines, and blogs such as Writers Digest. She is under contract with Alpha Books for a book in the Idiot’s Guides series.  $75/$70 members.