8 Best Writing Classes in Minneapolis

In-person seminar in Minneapolis, $60 ($54 for Loft Friends), led by Valeria Luiselli. Thursday 8 October 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm at The Loft Literary Center. Two hours on listening as a writer’s discipline, with one of the most significant novelists working in English and Spanish today. At $60 for a single session this is unusually accessible access to a writer of that standing.

In-person course in Minneapolis, $148 ($133.20 for Loft Friends), taught by James Ellis. Four Wednesday evenings, 16 September to 7 October 2026, 6:00-8:00pm at The Loft Literary Center. Four weeks to build one short story from scratch - the shortest multi-week commitment on the current in-person list, and the cheapest of the term courses.

In-person course in Minneapolis, $296 ($266.40 for Loft Friends), taught by Chelsea DesAutels. Eight Wednesday evenings, 16 September to 4 November 2026, 6:00-8:00pm at The Loft Literary Center. Pitched past beginner level - assumes you already write poems and want to push the craft rather than start from scratch. The longest in-person course The Loft is running this term.

In-person course in Minneapolis, $222 ($199.80 for Loft Friends), taught by Holly Day. Six Tuesday evenings, 15 September to 20 October 2026, 6:00-8:00pm at The Loft Literary Center. The Loft’s standard entry point to fiction. Note their fee structure: a nonrefundable 15% is built into every registration, and financial assistance is available on application.

In-person seminar in Minneapolis, $60 ($54 for Loft Friends), led by poet Hieu Minh Nguyen. Saturday 12 September 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm at The Loft Literary Center. Two hours on the poetics of inventory and curation - how a list becomes a poem and what selection does to meaning. Part of the Forge craft seminar series, which brings named poets in for single sessions rather than terms.

A full-day workshop featuring classes on query letters, pitching, marketing, and revision techniques, with opportunities to pitch to agents and receive personalized critiques.

This course helps writers sharpen their stories using the GMC&S framework—goal, motivation, conflict, and stakes—through a blend of lectures and writing exercises.

The Writing Workshop offers a supportive environment for writers of all levels to receive constructive feedback on their work. It includes weekly meetings, open read nights for sharing unpublished work, and opportunities for networking and skill development.