Why You Should Care About Writing Workshops
Writing Workshops are perhaps the most powerful tool available for an aspiring author to refine their craft, understand the art and business of writing, and ultimately get published.
While you may know how to build a tight plot and a compelling protagonist, most of us are lost as to how the publishing industry works (and the rest are kidding themselves). There are a lucky few who manage to find a literary agent and get a publishing contract almost immediately, but they constitute about .001% of all cases. What about the other 99.999% of us?
Here at NoveList, we prefer not to leave the future of our writing career up to chance, especially with such terrible odds. It’s important to understand that just attending a top-tier writing workshop won’t guarantee that you land an agent, get a lucrative publishing contract, and live happily ever after as Stephen King 2.0.
But it can dramatically improve your chances.
Writing workshops can improve your odds. Now, maybe they only improve your odds of publication to 1 in 50 or 1 in 100 or 200, and obviously outcomes will vary and there are many factors to consider, but that is a dramatic improvement! More importantly, those who take the work seriously, implement what they learn and leverage the contacts they make at writing workshops, and. above all, keep on writing, can improve their odds until, whatever the odds on the other side of the equation, they are the 1 that gets the publishing deal.
Criteria
Here at NoveList we’re pragmatists. Yes, we want you to improve your craft and refine your art, but we also want to make sure you’re not wasting your money. Most MFA in creative writing programs will take $50,000 from you and leave you no more likely that anyone will ever read your work (however, keep an eye out for our upcoming Best MFA Programs Ranking for 2026 for the standout exceptions). We think it’s important to think both about craft, but also such base things as return on investment and marketability. With that in mind, here are our criteria.
Credibility & Prestige: How does the publishing world view this workshop? Is it respected by both authors and those on the business side of publishing, the editors and agents? In short, does graduating from the program mean something to those in the know? Category Winner: Univerisity of Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
Cost & ROI: Will attending the workshop break the bank? How much improvement in your craft and to your odds of getting published can you expect per dollar spent? Category Winner: Futurescapes Writers’ Workshops.
Quality of Instruction & Feedback: Is the workshop well structured? Are the instructors well respected? Is the feedback personal, concrete, and specific? Category Winner: Viable Paradise.
Accessibility: Is the workshop designed to accommodate writers of diverse backgrounds? Do they offer online options, scholarships, discounted tuition, or other options so that writers regardless of income, ethnicity, disability, or location can participate? Category Winner: Futurescapes Writers’ Workshops.
With that foundation, here are the top writing workshops of 2025.
Best Overall Worskhop
Futurescapes moves to the top spot in our rankings this year. The winning spot has usually gone to a workshop with a more generalist approach, like the Midwest Writers Workshop. But Futurescapes, which is celebrating its 10th Anniversary this year, managed to ace enough categories (they are also our top pick for most-affordable, virtual, and accessibility) to take the number one spot, despite its focus on fantasy & science fiction (it helps that they’ve made a concerted effort to bring in faculty with strength across a variety or genres, including romance, horror, mystery, and historical fiction).
Why Futurescapes?
Simply put, they are the best of all worlds: their online workshops are highly affordable while still offering in-depth feedback from top authors, agents, and editors, including Ted Chiang, Fran Wilde, Mary Robinette Kowal, Dan Wells, CL Polk, and Naomi Novik. Their workshops are highly affordable and, thanks to a lot of creativity by the organizers, they have not raised the price of tuition since 2019. They offer scholarships funded by their prestigious year-long Futurescapes Academy program and have heavily emphasized accessiblity and affordability - their attendees and faculty literally come from across the globe, as compared to most top workshops which tend to be very North America-centric.
Futurescapes has managed to add to its prestige and credibility by being a highly selective workshop that requires an application and submission of materials (though they are one of the few that will not charge you to apply), and by hosting in-person workshops in highly sought-after locations, alternating years between an international locale and the Western United States. This year they hosted a workshop in Florence Italy, and in 2026 they will host one somewhere in the rugged back country of Utah (TBD).
Why not Futurescapes?
Futurescapes is not perfect. They had growing pains through much of their early years and suffered through some organizational issues as they made a transition during the pandemic. However, in the past two years they’ve improved dramatically on organization and reliability without increasing costs. They do still run on a tiny crew (two part-time staff as organizers) which can lead to occasional hiccups, but that’s also how they’ve managed to keep their prices low. It’s also this scrappiness that endears them to so many authors, agents and editors. Futurescapes is beloved by the faculty who teach for them, it has a robust alumni program and community, and a strong relationship with top publishers like Tor Books and Macmillan.
Registration is open for their 10th Anniversary Virtual Workshop, held Sept. 11-14, 2025. They do close registration once full, so apply early.
Runner-Up
It’s still hard to go wrong with Midwest! Our winner last year, Midwest is a solid workshop that covers a bit of everything: classes, panels, manuscript evaluations, all led by a set of great faculty like Jane Friedman and Kelcey Ervick. The workshop itself is a hybrid, both in that it offers online and in-person attendance, and that it’s a cross between a writing conference and workshop. Midwest is a reliable, sturdy option, especially for those who are just getting started on their writing journey.
Registration is currently open for their Summer 2025 Workshop, held (virtually and in-person) July 10-12, 2025.
Best Genre Workshop: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Runner-Up
Killer Nashville is a pretty killer workshop. While there are fewer options to choose from as far as genre-specific workshops in Mystery, Thriller & Suspense, Killer Nashville easily takes the cake.
Why Killer Nashville?
It’s a remarkably fun workshop/conference. We love an event that doesn’t take itself too seriously (but that takes its subject matter with deadly seriousness). If this is your genre, you really need to go sooner or later just for the joyful experience of being in the company of so many writers committing murder between the pages.
Why not Killer Nashville?
Well, it’s the best available in its genre, but it’s not really a workshop per se. This is a conference with a lot of opportunities to add critiques and the like. The critiques can be for large chunks of your manuscript, though, and that’s a very nice workshop feature.
Killer Nashville is still open for registration for their 2025 Conference, held in Nashville, Aug. 21-24.
Book Passage Mystery Writers Conference
Another fun workshop to consider, Book Passage’s Mystery Writers Conference offers some very unique opportunities to learn from subject matter experts in criminology, law enforcement, etc., in addition to a traditional writing conference with manuscript critique options. Registration is still open for their Summer Workshop, held in the SF Bay Area, July 18-20, 2025.
Best Genre Workshop: Sci-Fi & Fantasy
Runner-Up
There’s only one workshop whose name is synonymous with sci-fi, and that’s Clarion. While upstarts like Futurescapes are close at their heels, Clarion still carries a lot of clout from decades of producing top-tier talent.
Why Clarion?
Clarion is the OG. A very traditional workshop, it runs in-person for 6 weeks during the summer. It still attracts and produces some of the top names in SFF. Faculty this year include the incredible Elizabeth Bear and Annalee Newitz. It’s a name that matters on a query letter, that carries weight, and benefits from the highest degree of exclusivity.
Why not Clarion?
Tradition and clout mean a lot of time and lot of money, 6 weeks and $6,000 in tuition to be exact. One other concern we have with Clarion is that it increasingly seems like something from a bygone era. Their focus on short fiction made a lot of sense even a decade ago when short story publishing was still the primary gateway to becoming a sci-fi or fantasy author, but that has changed. Still, it’s always valuable to hone your short game and Clarion remains the top pick if that’s your primary interest.
Clarion is currently closed to applications. They should start accepting them again in early December.
You could see Elizabeth Bear at Clarion, or you could go to the workshop Bear created with husband and epic fantasy-writer, Scott Lynch! Viable Paradise is a solid genre workshop that can stand alongside Clarion, Futurescapes, and the Writing Excuses Cruise as a top pick for SFF writers.
Registration is currently closed. Applications should open for the 2026 workshop at the beginning of next year.
Best Genre Workshop: Romance
RWA is the beginning and end for those looking to make it as a Romance author. Their annual conference is a great place to learn and connect with the community, but if you’re looking for deep feedback on your manuscript, your best bet is the online workshops offered by the various RWA chapters.
Why RWA Chapter Workshops?
The workshops cover an incredible breadth of topics and areas of focus, from writing middles to crafting the perfect holiday romance.
Why not RWA Chapter Workshops?
They are all over the place. These are mostly classes, but some are true workshops. These come and go, and so, sadly, you’re going to have to look around to find the right fit for you. Romance writing is one area where we could use someone with an entrepreneurial spirit to start a new workshop and give us a clear option to choose from each year, please.
You can view the calendar of upcoming workshops on the RWA website.
Runner-Up
Yes, Futurescapes again. They have a surprising wealth of faculty who do Romance crossover genres like Romantasy.
Best Workshop for Honing Craft
If you workshop with Margie Lawson, your writing will never be the same. That’s what alumni say again and again.
Why Lawson?
Lawson is the master of deep editing, compelling word choice, and emotional beats. If you want your words to ring in people’s minds long after they’ve put your book down, Lawson is the right choice. The products and avenues to work with Lawson are endless, so find the right fit for you.
Why not Lawson?
The products and avenues to work with Lawson are endless. It can be a bit daunting!
You can peruse Margie Lawson’s whole catalogue of classes, workshops, and products here.
Runner-Up
Gotham is a fantastic workshop across the board. They are an invisible runner up that almost was or just as easily could’ve been in most categories. So, this one feels a bit arbitrary, but it isn’t. Gotham is a terrific place to improve your prose, the only problem is that they, too, have a dizzying array of options.
Best Workshop for Online & Accessibility
Futurescapes Writers’ Workshops
We warned you. Yes, Futurescapes tops our list for the online and accessibility category, too.
Why Futurescapes?
A lot of workshops went virtual during the pandemi, but went back to in-person as soon as they could. Futurescapes found that there are a lot people out there - across the globe, with mobility issues, etc., who had been craving a strong online workshop option all along. As a result, they went in the opposite direction and decided to make virtual their primary format. They also offer a lot of full and partial need-based scholarships which help cover the cost if you’re experiencing financial hardship for any reason.
Why not Futurescapes?
As we mentioned in their win in the best overall category, Futurescapes has at times experienced some organizational problems. They’ve soundly improved, but it’s something that may be of concern for some.
Applications are still open for their Fall Virtual Workshop, Sept. 11-14, 2025.
Runner-Up
Grub Street is another great generalist, offering classes and workshops across all genres. They’ve done a terrific job of adapting to the world of online and have strong live and recorded options. The only difficulty is sorting through all of Grub Street’s offerings.
Most Prestigious Workshop
The world-renowned Iowa Writers’ Workshop cannot be beat for the prestige factor.
Why Iowa?
First, it’s important to acknowledge we are not talking about their two-year MFA in creative writng, which is generally considered the best of its kind. Instead, we’re talking about their summer workshops. That MFA shines enough light to place their summer program in the top spot for prestige from reflected glory alone. Additionally, some incredible faculty led 3-week intensive workshops where you get to master fiction working hand-in-hand with some of the world’s greatest writers.
Why not Iowa?
Reflected glory is still reflected glory. We are pragmatists here at NoveList and we’re not easily impressed by faculty who are primarily academic. Iowa is not the right place, usually, to work with a #1 New York Times Bestseller, or a top author in a specific genre. This is literary fiction for a literary crowd, and it will cost you thousands of dollars.
Runner-Up
Aspen Words, part of the renowned Aspen Institute, is a close runner up for most prestigious workshop. Their summer words program features leading literary lights like the Iowa Summer Program, but it also hosts editors and agents. If you’re looking for prestige that’s a little more practical, Aspen’s Summer Words Program might be the right fit for you. They are closed for Summer 2025 applicants, however.
Best Affordable Option
Futurescapes Writers’ Workshops
A lot of people feel it’s crass to talk in terms of return on investment with something like writng. We don’t. If you’re looking for the most return on your dollar and for something that is genuinely affordable, you can’t go wrong with Futurescapes.
Why Futurescapes?
Depending on the workshop, as little as a few hundred dollars will buy you a seat in a workshop where you can get substantive verbal and written feedback with a top agent or author. For their target audience of sci-fi and fantasy authors, a big appeal is that they often bring in editors from Tor Books (the most sought-after publisher in speculative fiction) to serve as faculty. Additionally, once you’ve attended a workshop, you gain alumni status and can register for future workshops at a discounted rate.
Why not Futurescapes?
If affordability is what you’re looking for, Futurescapes stands alone as the best choice. However, they do run on a skeleton crew in order to keep their workshop so affordable and that means they sometime are slow to answer an email or make a mistake or two. If feeling pampered is more important to you than ROI, Futurescapes may not be the right fit for you.
Applications are still open for their Fall Virtual Workshop, Sept. 11-14, 2025.
Runner-Up
The Writing Day Workshops offer a similar format and opportunity to Futurescapes. They do not have as many online options, but they do host workshops all over the country with a pragmatic focus on pitching to literary agents.
They have a lot of workshops to choose from, check out Writing Day Workshops 2025-2026 schedule.
Best for Quality Instruction
Martha’s Vineyard is nice, the killer instruction is better.
Why Viable Paradise?
A workshop is only as good as the instructors behind it. Viable Paradise is run by two authors par excellence, Elizabeth Bear & Scott Lynch, who know how to recruit and vet instructors of similar skill. For almost 30 years now they’ve been honing and refining Viable Paradise into the well-oiled machine it is now. As a juried workshop (like Clarion and Futurescapes) they can be selective about who they admit to the workshop, and this helps bring on strong faculty who want to work with students who know what they’re doing on the page.
Why not Viable Paradise?
It’s a great workshop, but if other factors like cost or the option to do a fully online event or more important to you, you may want to look elsewhere. VP is also a genre-focused workshop, with an emphasis on speculative fiction.
Applications for the 2026 Viable Paradise Workshop will open on Oct. 19, 2025.
Runner-Up
Aspen Words, part of the renowned Aspen Institute, also offers great instruction. They are more literary in focus, but welcome all genres. The prestige of the Aspen Institute helps with recruiting great instructors. Aspen’s Summer Words Program might be the right fit for you. They are closed for Summer 2025 applicants, however.
Best for Young Adult & Middle Grade Fiction
If you’re writing picture books, middle grade or young adult, make your way to beautiful Big Sur.
Why Big Sur?
Probably the most innovative and exciting feature of Big Sur, is that the workshop is run by one of the top literary agencies in KidLit, the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. If you’re looking to connect with a top agent, this is a great workshop for it. Big Sur follows a similar small-group critique format to workshops like Futurescapes and Viable Paradise, a tried-and-true approach that’s hard to find fault with, and they have a great track record of alumni landing an agent with, you guessed it, Andrea Brown Literary’s agents.
Why not Big Sur?
While it follows a similar format to other top workshops, Andrea Brown’s approach is a bit more ruthless. You’re doing a lot of the work on the spot with your material not read by faculty beforehand. As such, many attendees feel it’s a bit more stressful than it needs to be.
The next Big Sur Children’s Writers Workshop will be held Feb. 20-22, 2026 in Big Sur, California.
Runner-Up
WIFYR is a little workshop with a big heart. Their annual workshop is held in June each year in Utah and features top agents and authors in children’s literature. Both faculty and students of the workshop tend to be fiercely loyal to the workshop. Writing & Illustrating for Young Readers is currently closed to applications, but their next workshop will be held June 16-20, 2026.