Gotham Writers Workshop is an adult-education program for aspiring writers based in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

. Established in 1993, it offers courses in-person and online, and has been recognized for its classes in

science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...

and

mystery Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters *Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange'' *Mystery, a seahorse that SpongeBob SquarePants adopts in the episode " My Pre ...

writing. In 2004, it published ''Gotham Writers' Workshop Fiction Gallery: Exceptional Short Stories Selected by New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School''. The workshop also organizes the Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Contest.

Background

The Gotham Writers Workshop was founded by owners David Grae and Jeff Fligelman, whose backgrounds are in business and advertising. It offers classes in creative writing and business writing, along with writing conferences and one-on-one services, including consults on publishing guidance with literary agents. Gotham classes are offered in-person in New York City, on Zoom, and asynchronously Online. They offer courses in types of writing (fiction, memoir, screenwriting, etc.) and also in specific elements of writing (character, plot, grammar, etc.). Gotham also offers fiction classes in collaboration with '' Zoetrope: All Story'', the literary magazine founded by

Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola ( ; born April 7, 1939) is an American filmmaker. He is considered one of the leading figures of the New Hollywood and one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. List of awards and nominations received by Francis Ford Coppo ...

. Gotham also offers free events, including free Write-Ins every Friday on Zoom. Gotham Writers Workshop has produced three books, edited by school President Alexander Steele: ''Writing Fiction'', ''Fiction Gallery'', and ''Writing Movies''. ''Writing Fiction'' is available in several foreign language editions: ''Escribir ficcion'' (Spanish); ''Lezioni di scrittura creativa'' (Italian); ''Romane und Kurzgeschichten schreiben'' (German); and ''Kezdő írók kézikönyve'' (Hungarian). ''Writing Movies'' is available as ''Escribir Cine'' (Spanish).

Faculty

Gotham faculty are all working writers, published or produced in their fields, as well as experienced teachers. Gotham's current faculty members include: * ''NY Times'' bestselling novelist Tatjana Soli * Romance novelist

Leigh Michaels Leigh Michaels is the pseudonym used by LeAnn Lemberger (born July 27, 1954, in Iowa, United States), a popular United States writer of over 80 romance novels. She published her novels in Harlequin Enterprises Ltd since 1984 to 2006. She also t ...

* Romance novelist Kristin Rockaway * Mystery novelist Carole Buggé * ''Joyland'' editor-in-chief Michelle Lyn King * Graphic memoirist Teresa Wong * Children's book author Kody Keplinger * Newbery medalist, children's book author

Erin Entrada Kelly Erin Entrada Kelly is an American writer of children's literature. She was awarded the 2018 John Newbery Medal by the Association for Library Service to Children for her third novel ''Hello, Universe.'' She won the award a second time in 2025 fo ...

Gotham's former faculty members include: * ''NY Times'' bestselling novelist

Ann Napolitano Ann Napolitano (born October 21, 1971) is an American writer. She has written four successful novels. Early life She was born October 21, 1971 to James and Catherine Napolitano. She received her MFA from New York University, after graduating ...

* ''NY Times'' bestselling novelist Laura Dave * Booker Prize winner, novelist Marlon James * ''NY Times'' bestselling nonfiction author

Ada Calhoun Ada Calhoun (born Ada Calhoun Schjeldahl; March 17, 1976) is an American writer. She is the author of '' St. Marks Is Dead'', a history of St. Mark's Place in East Village, Manhattan, New York; '' Wedding Toasts I’ll Never Give'', a book of es ...

* Newbery medalist, children's book author

Matt de la Peña Matthew de la Peña is an American writer of children's books who specializes in novels for young adults. He won the Newbery Medal in 2016 for his book '' Last Stop on Market Street''. Biography A San Diego, California, native, Matt de la Peña r ...

* Oscar winning screenwriter and director Jennifer Lee * Pulitzer Prize winner, poet Tracy K. Smith * Hugo and Nebula Award winner, science fiction author

Ken Liu , birth_date = , birth_place = Lanzhou, Gansu, China , occupation = , nationality = American , period = , genre = Science fiction, fantasy , subject = , movement = , notableworks= * '' The Paper Menagerie'' (2011 ...

* Bram Stoker Award winner, horror author

Sarah Langan Sarah Langan (born 1974) is an American horror author and three-time Bram Stoker Award winner. Langan was also one of the judges for the inaugural Shirley Jackson Award and is currently on its Board of Directors. Biography Langan was raised in ...

Students

Gotham draws approximately 8,000 students per year, from practically every country in the world. Most Gotham classes are for students age 18 or over, with the exception of the teen courses, for ages 13–17. Notable alumni of Gotham include: * National Book Award finalist, novelist

Min Jin Lee Min Jin Lee (; born November 11, 1968) is a Korean American author and journalist based in Harlem, New York City; her work frequently deals with the Korean diaspora. She is best known for writing '' Free Food for Millionaires'' (2007) and ''Pac ...

* Novelist Daisy Alpert Florin * Novelist, essayist, and poet

Melissa Broder Melissa Broder (born August 29, 1979) is an American author, essayist and poet. Her work includes the novels ''The Pisces'' (Penguin Random House 2018), ''Milk Fed''Simon and Schuster2021), and ''Death Valley'' (Scribner, 2023); the poetry collec ...

* National Book Award finalist, memoirist Grace M. Cho * Memoirist

T Kira Madden T Kira Madden is an American writer. She is the author of a memoir, ''Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls'', and the Founding Editor-in-Chief of '' No Tokens Journal''. In 2021, she received Lambda Literary's Judith A. Markowitz Award for Ex ...

* Mystery novelist Sally Andrew * Edgar Award winner, mystery novelist Angie Kim * ''NY Times'' bestelling children's book author

Adam Silvera Adam Silvera (born June 7, 1990) is an American author of young adult fiction novels, known for his bestselling novels '' They Both Die at the End'', '' More Happy Than Not'', and '' History Is All You Left Me.'' Early life Adam Silvera was bor ...

* Emmy nominated TV writer

Debora Cahn Debora Cahn is an American writer and producer of television and film. She was a writer and executive producer on the Showtime (TV network), Showtime series ''Homeland (TV series), Homeland'' for its final two seasons (2018–2020), and executive ...

* Playwright, screenwriter, and TV writer

Wendy Riss Gatsiounis Wendy Riss Gatsiounis is an American screenwriter, TV writer and producer, and playwright. Her play ''A Darker Purpose'' was produced by Naked Angels, a theater company in New York, with Fisher Stevens as the star. She later adapted the play for ...

References

External links

*
Gotham books

Gotham podcast
''Inside Writing,'' 2020–2022 {{Authority control Creative writing programs Educational institutions established in 1993 Education in New York City 1993 establishments in New York City