Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions Page. For any info on the Writing Barn’s Public Policies (including our Anti-Harassment Policy and Code of Conduct) please visit our Writing Barn Policy Page. You can also read the Writing Barn’s manifesto at the bottom of the page. If you have a question that is not addressed below, please email info@thewritingbarn.com.
General Info:
You can contact us by email at info@thewritingbarn.com or calling us at 512-665-0886. Please note email is the preferred method of contact. We are a small staff and can better answer your questions in a timely manner via email.
The Writing Barn is an accessible space and fully ADA-compliant. If you require specific accommodations, please contact us so that we may assist you.
All of our programming will be online virtually throughout the rest of 2020. We are open for potential private retreats in The Book House/or Cabin. We consider party and rental requests, on a case by case basis, following the recommended CDC guidelines for gatherings. These guidelines change often.
We are at 10202 Wommack Rd, in South Austin off Slaughter. In addition to being a rental and workshop facility, the property is also a private residence. Therefore, we do not have drop in business hours. To visit the property, outside of an event or class, please schedule a showing here.
We are on most map applications and you can find our driving directions and parking here. And here is a map of our grounds.
Programming:
Webinars are 1 to 2 hour events, with minimal live interaction, aside from the chat function. They are facilitated by industry professionals: authors, agents, editors, etc. Price-points are low and attendance is high, anywhere from 50-200+ attendees. Writing craft and industry engagement are explored. REPLAYS are made available for all registrants, for a limited time.
Half-day and full-day-classes are 3 hours to 5 hours. If in person, these classes are held at the Writing Barn in one our workshop rooms. If online, registrants are encouraged to attend LIVE, have their video screens on, and to engage with the class instructor directly and via chat. Classes are usually a combination of craft insights/lecture and writing exercises and sharing. Half-day and full-day classes meet the needs of writers wishing to explore a writing craft topic, or enfuse their writing lives with doses of inspiration and community. These classes cap at 25. REPLAYS are available upon request, but not guaranteed.
6 week classes are 2 hour classes offered over a consecutive number of weeks and assist writers in creating new work, or revising existing work with a goal toward exploring craft and potentially pursuing publication. Registrants should plan to not miss more than 2 classes for maximum learning and class bonding, with both the published instructor and each other. On-going classes usually have outside reading, homework assignments/analysis, and a workshop component. These classes cap at 18. If online, REPLAYS are only given to a writer who makes a request with the class TA due to absence, visual and hearing impairment, or to meet the needs of our neurodiverse writers. Workshop is never recorded, as it is an organic experience that must be given full time, attention, and the openness that is created within the LIVE learning environment.
The Writing Barn was an early adopter to ZOOM and we have been using the platform successfully for over three years. Registrants will receive a basic Zoom installation and training document and we ask that you familiarize yourself with the platform, your video and audio capabilities, enlisting assistance from supportive loved ones who may be tech savier than yourself, to be sure you are ready before the start of your class.
We will have TA’s available the day of class to help with any in-the-moment tech issues. TWB is not responsible if your tech, wi-fi, etc. keeps you from attending a session. In these instances, we will work to provide you a recording of the session. If the tech issues are on our part – we will make sure to offer the class again free of charge at a rescheduled date.
We do offer need-based scholarships for all programming, as well as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion scholarships for select events. You can find out more information and apply for a scholarship here.
If a class is designed for a specific level of experience, it will be noted in the course description. As a general rule, webinars and half-day or full-day classes offer writers an overview of a genre or specifics on an aspect of craft. 6 week classes offer a deeper dive into craft and usually have a workshop component. Intensives and the WSS programs require applications, and offer industry engagement and allow deep friendships to develop and flourish.
Find a topic that calls to you, and jump in. Our Write Away Days and other Generative Half-Day sessions are designed to get the creative juices flowing-whether beginning for the first time or after an extended absence from the page. You can always reach out to TWB staff via this contact form to inquire about a specific class or your specific situation.
Weekend intensives, onsite or virtually, and the WSS programs have applications, so that writers who hope to participate can get in touch with their writing goals, prior learning and experiences, and commitment to what they uniquely want to get out of the program. These are more costly programs with limited numbers of registrants and though they may serve a range of levels, from beginner to advanced writer, it is important that the applying writer consider their specific needs and to communicate those in the application. Writing samples may be asked for and they assist TWB staff or an application committee in reviewing.
Whether serving youth or adults, Writing Barn classes are about creativity and connection. They are not for grades or to be given a gold star. Each and every writer should assess their individual needs, time challenges and comfort levels. Writers who may not have been comfortable sharing their work, may find themselves surprised by support and camaraderie of their instructor, TA and other class members. Writers may only participate in workshop, reading other’s work and providing suggestions and insights, when they commit to doing the same. Creativity is not a competition. And we can all be brave together.
During the pandemic, we have increased our offerings for kids and teens, offering month long classes during the school week. We will continue to do so during the pandemic, and once our youths daily lives are no longer solely online, our youth offerings will continue on the weekends.
Each summer, we offer a variety of camps and intensives for writers ages 8-12 or for teens. In-person or now virtually.
For classes to make, a certain number of registrants has to be met. Our vast and varied staple of teaching artists/instructors are usually paid via sliding scales based on enrollment. For this reason we cannot offer refunds. We do sometimes allow for class funds to be used as future credit towards other Writing Barn programming.
