I’ve been teaching creative writing for close to three decades — in classrooms, workshops, MFA programs, and one-on-one settings. My approach centers on sustainable creative practice: helping writers develop a relationship with their work that doesn’t require self-destruction or constant external validation.
Whether you’re looking for a single workshop session, a multi-week course, or ongoing programming for your organization, I design experiences that meet writers where they are and help them find what they’re actually trying to make.
Workshop Offerings
Tell It Slant: Real Life as Raw Material for Good Fiction
A four-week generative workshop that helps fiction writers transform lived experience into stories that breathe on their own terms. We’ll read exemplary texts (e.g., Zadie Smith, Edward P. Jones, Jhumpa Lahiri, John D’Agata), engage in weekly writing prompts, and practice the mad alchemy of turning what we know into fiction worth reading.
What you’ll do:
- Weekly generative writing exercises
- Craft discussions grounded in published work
- Peer feedback sessions
- Final week devoted to revision strategies
Structure options:
- 4 weekly sessions (2 hours each, virtual or in-person)
- Hybrid/Low-Res model: 1-2 in-person intensives + virtual follow-up sessions
- Weekend intensive: Condensed 2-day format
Group size: 4-10 participants
Pricing:
- Virtual workshop (4 sessions): $800-1,200 (depending on group size and organization type)
- In-person workshop: Contact for pricing (includes travel costs)
- Hybrid model: Contact for custom quote
Independent writing groups and informal collectives: I’m open to custom arrangements that work for your community. Contact me to discuss.
Write Mindfulness: A Course in Sustainable Creative Practice
An adapted version of my 10-week Write Mindfulness Project, designed for groups who want to develop a healthier, more sustainable relationship with their creative work. This isn’t about producing polished pieces for publication — it’s about building a practice that feeds you rather than depleting you.
What you’ll explore:
- Why you write (and who you’re really writing for)
- Process-to-product ratio
- Generative exercises grounded in gratitude and attention
- The Creative Spirit as a means to engage what’s numinous
- Making things vs. producing them
Structure options:
- Full 10-week course (weekly 90-minute sessions)
- 4-week intensive (adapted version focusing on core concepts)
- Weekend retreat format (immersive 2-3 day experience)
Group size: 4-10 participants
Pricing:
- 10-week virtual course: $1,500-2,000 (depending on group size and organization type)
- 4-week intensive: $800-1,200
- Weekend retreat: Contact for custom quote
Independent writing groups and informal collectives: I’m open to custom arrangements that work for your community. Contact me to discuss.
Custom Workshop Design
Have a specific need? I design custom workshops for:
- Writing groups and literary organizations
- MFA programs and college creative writing courses
- Libraries and community arts centers
- High schools and independent schools
- Conferences and retreats
Possible topics:
- Cross-genre and hybrid writing
- Revision as “wholly re-seeing”
- Craft fundamentals (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, or hybrid forms)
- Building an online presence as a writer
- The gift economy and sustainable creative practice
- Teaching creative writing with consent and personal sovereignty
Format: Single sessions, multi-week courses, or ongoing programming
Pricing: Contact me with your needs and I’ll send a proposal
Guest Teaching & Visiting Writer Positions
I’m available for:
- Guest lectures and craft talks in MFA programs
- Multi-week residencies at colleges and universities
- Visiting writer appointments
- High school and independent school guest teaching
Topics I can address:
- Poetry craft and revision
- Fiction techniques and structure
- Hybrid/cross-genre writing
- Sustainable creative practice
- Teaching philosophy and pedagogy
- The creative writing MFA industrial complex (and its discontents)
Pricing: Varies based on length of engagement and travel requirements
Who This Is For
These workshops and teaching engagements are for:
- Writers who want to build a sustainable practice, not burn out chasing publications
- Groups looking for a facilitator who reads work on its own terms
- Organizations interested in creative writing programming that values process over product
- Anyone who suspects there’s a healthier way to engage with creative work
What Past Participants Say
Coming soon…
How to Book
Email me at tj@tjbman.me with:
- What kind of workshop or teaching engagement you’re interested in
- Your timeline and ideal dates
- Group size and participant demographics (age, experience level, etc.)
- Format preference (virtual, in-person, hybrid)
- Your budget range
I’ll respond within 2-3 business days with availability and a proposal.
Logistics & Practical Details
- Virtual workshops: Conducted via Zoom with optional asynchronous components
- In-person workshops: Travel costs (airfare, lodging, ground transportation) covered by host organization. I’m based in Birmingham, Alabama but available to travel anywhere.
- Hybrid/Low-Res model: Combines 1-2 in-person intensive sessions with virtual follow-ups. Ideal for organizations wanting face-to-face connection plus ongoing support.
- Materials: Participants receive digital course materials (reading lists, prompts, resources). Optional print packets available.
- Accessibility: I’m committed to making workshops accessible. If cost is a barrier, let’s talk about sliding scale or scholarship options.
Ready to bring a workshop to your community? Email tj@tjbman.me and let’s make it happen.