Write with me, Kelly Dwyer, in 2026!

It's fall, and for many of us, that season will always mean back-to-school. As the kids go back to school, and teachers return to work, I thought I'd let you know about some writing classes I'll be teaching beginning in the official new year--January, 2026.

January 2026--January 2027: Novel in a Year
I'm looking for five writers to complete a novel with me in 2026. We're going to have monthly Zoom workshops and check-ins, a weekend in-person intensive over the summer, and a celebration at the end. More details to come. In the meantime, if you're interested, let me know, and I'll send you a handout with plenty of information and an application.  KellyDwyer0077@gmail.com  

April, 2026: Weekend Workshop: Ready, Set, Start Your Novel!
A weekend workshop over Zoom in which we'll discuss best practices for beginning a new novel or memoir (whether it's your first book or fifth), and complete written exercises, which we'll share. More details to come. 

Summer, 2026: In-person weeklong and weekend workshops
Now that Dean Sanders of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has made the decision to shut down our beloved University of Iowa's Iowa Summer Writing Festival, I'm looking for new ways to write, learn, and build community in person together to keep the magic alive until Director Amy Margolis lets us know the next steps. I'd love to teach a weeklong and weekend workshop in Iowa City with others who are also interested. If you're a writer looking for community--whether you're a student, instructor, or both--let me know!

Fall Online Weekend Workshop: TBA

Editing Services: Because I'll be teaching Novel in a Year and working on my own writing (my fourth novel is coming along!) I probably won't be taking on any new clients in 2026. But my daughter Alice Wenzlow will be, and I (and her clients) highly recommend. Please read below for more information, and contact Alice if you're interested.


Alice Wenzlow 
Developmental Editing Services
alicewenzlow@gmail.com
About Me


After earning an International Baccalaureate diploma from Madison County Day School, I attended the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, where I graduated in 2024 with degrees in English and Theatre. As a college student, I tutored other students in English, wrote and directed a feature-length film, and had poetry published in the journal Bombfire. I have always loved to help other writers achieve their artistic vision, as well as write myself, so in 2025, I earned my editing certification.

Editing Services and Rates

Developmental Editing: “Big Picture” feedback in terms of plot and story, point of view, character development and arc, etc. My developmental editing also includes margin comments on sentence structure, pacing, thematic coherence, natural sounding dialogue, and more. I always tailor my feedback to the unique goals and voice of each individual author. My aim is to help you see your manuscript more clearly, strengthen what’s working, challenge what could be stronger, and support you in shaping the story you want to tell.

Rate: 1.5 cents/word for manuscript editing. $30/hour for conferences over Zoom.

(Please note that this is below the Editorial Freelance Association average rate of 3 to 4 cents a word as I am just beginning my editing career. See  https://www.the-efa.org/rates/ )

For novelists, I am happy to offer a 1000-word edit and an initial 15-minute conference, both free of charge, so that you can make sure we are a good fit.

Brainstorming Sessions: As a poet, I love language. As a screenwriter and (budding!) novelist as well as voracious viewer and reader, I love story. I am happy to meet with writers to brainstorm ideas, plots, characters, and concepts at any stage of the process.

Rate: $30/hour.

Methods of payment: I accept Zelle, Paypal, Cashapp, and Venmo. Initial payment (half) is due upon my receipt of the manuscript. Final payment (second half) is due upon completion.

References and Recommendations

“During the final phase of polishing my manuscript for submission, Alice Wenzlow provided a precision copy edit. Additionally, she offered invaluable commentary regarding the flow and emotional impact of my story, which gave me such a boost of confidence during the daunting process of book publishing. Thanks Alice!” ----Annie B. Shapero, author of Runaway Rome. anniebshapero.com or taste-fully.com 

“Alice's editing is both detailed and expansive.  With respect for the manuscript, Alice enters into her work with a perceptive eye, emotional intelligence, and focused care.  She will zero in on the dissonant word; point out a character's incongruence; and find the plot inconsistency.  Alice's high-quality feedback will enable you to take your manuscript to the next level.” –Chali Davis, author of The Way Home

Email addresses for Annie B. Shapero and Chali Davis provided upon request.


Wishing you a wonderful fall filled with beautiful leaves, a Spooky Halloween, and wonderful reading and writing!



image from Unseen Histories on Unsplash 








 

William Pei Shih, me, and Clarisse Baleja Saïdi



I have taught at the Iowa Summer Writing Festival ISWF for about one hundred and seven years now, and every year, I teach fun new classes, learn from my students, see old friends, make new ones (see photo above), and come away inspiried. This year was no exception.

I taught a weeklong class called Revision Bootcamp, and a weekend one on World Building for all Genres, and it was my joy to have amazing students/writers/humans in each. 

Revision Bootcampers Magda, Paul, Lucy, Emily, Sharon, Laura, Jay, Pat, Gail, Deb, Pat, Cas, and me


I also had the joy of reading GHOST MOTHER at Prairie Lights , one of my favorite bookstores in the entire world. (Order Ghost Mother at Prairie Lights, on Amazon, or wherever books are sold.) 



If you're interested in taking a class at the Festival in Iowa City--a UNESCO City of Literature--there are still spots available with plenty of fabulous instructors in July. Or you can take a class with me next year! We writers always have trouble with endings, so I'm considering pitching an "End with a Bang" class for next year, and two of my weekend students, Mariah and Kaitlyn, had a great idea for a weekend class on Villiains which I've been mulling over. What would you like to learn?

Iowa City 2026 or Bust? 





 


REJUVENATE & CREATE IN GREECE!

Please join me, Kelly Dwyer,
and the wonderful writer, teacher, creator, and human Tanya Shaffer

for a TRANSFORMATIONAL WOMEN'S WRITING RETREAT
On the Magical Island of Amorgos

OCTOBER 5--11, 2024


Join the VIP waitlist!
Be the first to know when registration opens!
Go to Tany Shaffer Retreats to sign up

About Amorgos

In the heart of the Cyclades, Amorgos is one of the most beautiful of the Greek islands. Known for its dazzling blue water, white sand beaches, ancient picturesque villages and attractions, and delcious local food, it's an ideal spot for travelers seeking a tranquil, inspiring, and authentic Greek experience. 



About Your Accommodations

The lovely blue-and-white Hotel Lakki Village is just a few steps away from the sandy Aegiali Beach in Amorgos, and just a few blocks from the town center, which includes restaurants, shops, cafes, taverns, and stores. The hotel features an outdoor pool, air-conditioned rooms, wi-fi, a restaurant, and a charming outdoor courtyard.



Here’s a sneak preview of what our retreat will include:

  • Six nights in the lovely Lakki Village Hotel
  • Daily writing sessions with Kelly and Tanya 
  • Hiking along mountain trails overlooking the sea
  • Guided tour of an 11th-Century Monastery
  • Swimming and relaxation by the beach and pool
  • Oceanside ecstatic dance
  • Fresh, delicious Mediterranean meals
  • A Greek cooking class
  • Afternoon yoga
  • Guest lecture on contemporary Greek writing
  • Optional Athens tours with our hosts, Imagine Greece Retreats, in the two days before the retreat officially begins.
  • Camaraderie and connection with a warm circle of kindred spirits!


Cost and other details coming soon! 
The retreat is limited to 14 guests, 
so be sure to join the VIP Waitlist to be the first to know 
when registration begins!


Meet Your Creative Guides!

                                       Kelly Dwyer                                                      Tanya Shaffer 




Kelly Dwyer is the author of three novels, most recently Ghost Mother, published by Union Square & Co. in 2024 (available at Barnes & Noble and wherever books are sold)and numerous plays that have been produced nationally and internationally. A native Californian, Kelly was educated at Oberlin College (where she met Tanya!) and the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and now divides her time between Wisconsin and Los Angeles. She has taught at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival and in the University of Wisconsin system for many years, and also works as a developmental editor who loves to help her students and clients achieve success.  

As a young adult, Kelly enjoyed visiting Greece, where she spent time in Athens and on the islands, and traced the Peloponnesian War in a rental car. She is very excited to be returning after many years for the Rejuvenate & Create Transformational Women's Writing Retreat!

Tanya Shaffer is an award-winning playwright and author of the travel memoir, Somebody’s Heart is Burning: A Woman Wanderer in Africa. Her plays have been produced Off-Broadway and by major regional theatres, and have toured to over forty cities in the US and Canada. Her work has appeared on Salon and in more than a dozen anthologies. She publishes the Substack Tanya Shaffer’s Off-Leash Chronicles, in which she writes on topics ranging from creativity to parenting to travel to spirituality. (For more information and to purchase Tanya's books, go to Tanya Shaffer books.)

For the past seven years, Tanya has worked with hundreds of writers through her Off-Leash Writing Workshops and Memoir & Fiction Workshops, and through private coaching and editing. Last year she realized her long-held dream of leading creative retreats in magical places by co-hosting her first Women’s Creativity Retreat on the Big Island of Hawaii. She can’t wait to join forces with fellow Kelly to create an unforgettable retreat in Greece!

For more information and to stay in the know, 
go to Tanya Shaffer Retreats

    WE CAN'T WAIT TO 
REJUVENATE & CREATE
WITH YOU IN GREECE! 






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