The Atlanta Writers Club Craft of Writing Certificate Program offers a structured and focused approach to enhance AWC members’ writing skills and help them achieve personal and professional goals.

Specifically, this nine-month AWC Writing Certificate Program is a premium opportunity designed to help you with the following:

  • Skill Development and Refinement:
    • Improve fundamental writing skills
    • Understand major aspects of creative writing
    • Develop critical thinking and analytical skills to self-edit your manuscripts
  • Involvement and Credibility in the Writing Community:
    • Network with other participants via the Google folder online platform
    • Demonstrate skill and dedication to the writing craft
    • Cite the achievement in query letters and/or author profiles
  • Personal Growth and Creative Expression:
    • Cultivate a writing practice and discover new forms of self-expression through assignment completion
    • Receive constructive feedback on strengths and weaknesses
    • Build confidence by tackling challenges

 

Writers need to have a book-length fiction or memoir manuscript either started (at least 5,000 words) or completed—or a short story (or a group of connected or unconnected stories) of at least 5,000 words—to apply for this exclusive program.

As a “graduation bonus” after the program, those seeking traditional publication will get to meet with a literary agent seeking their genre and indie authors will get to meet with a successful self-published author for coaching!

 

MEET YOUR INSTRUCTOR:

LORIN OBERWEGER is a highly sought-after independent book editor and ghostwriter with almost thirty years’ experience in publishing. Her company, Free Expressions, offers intensive, deep craft workshops nationwide. She’s also known for her one-on-one story mastermind sessions for writers of all genres of fiction and creative nonfiction.

Lorin’s students and clients have been published by HarperCollins, Penguin Random House, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Disney, and many other presses. They have also secured representation with some of the industry’s leading literary agents, and several of their works have been optioned for film and television.

An award-winning author, Lorin has co-written and ghostwritten eight books, several for New York Times bestselling authors of fiction and nonfiction. Her work, commissioned by major publishers, has garnered glowing reviews from The New York Times, Kirkus Reviews, NPR, and other notable outlets. Her latest co-author credit is THANK YOU FOR COMING TO MY TED TALK, written with Chris Anderson, director of TED Conferences.

With bestselling author Veronica Rossi, Lorin is the author of the New Adult books, BOOMERANG, REBOUND, and BOUNCE, published by Harper/William Morrow under the pen name Noelle August.  The novels were praised by Publishers Weekly and Library Journal, among others, and BOOMERANG was chosen as a “new and notable” selection for Target Stores across the U.S.

 

PROGRAM INTRODUCTION:

This nine-month program will offer writers wide-ranging, substantive craft education in all facets of fiction and creative nonfiction, suitable for those whose work is geared toward middle-grade through adult audiences in any genre. Participants need to have a book-length manuscript either started (at least 5,000 words) or completed or a short story (or a group of connected or unconnected stories) of at least 5,000 words to apply for this exclusive program.

Through a combination of rigorous, two-hour monthly webinar by Lorin Oberweger in January through August, monthly writing assignment with feedback from Lorin, monthly interactions with fellow participants for peer critique, and one-on-one consultations with Lorin three times during the program—including a review of overall progress in September with individual prescriptions for next steps—participants will have an opportunity to refine their craft with a focus on achieving publishing success. Participants can expect to spend at least five hours per month on each program unit, January-August.

From January through August, each webinar will be presented via Zoom on the second Monday of each month at 7 p.m. Eastern, except in May when the webinar will be on the third Monday at 7 p.m. Eastern. Lorin has prepared brand new materials for this program. Her webinars will combine hands-on work by participants, lectures, discussions, and Q&A. Each webinar will be recorded so they can be viewed again and again through the end of the year.

This will be a lively, inspiring, and thorough course with ample opportunities for feedback, community, and the opportunity to make significant leaps in writing capabilities, culminating in a certificate of achievement for those who complete the homework assignment and provide peer feedback online for each of the eight program units described below as well as participate in the three one-on-one meetings with Lorin.

Not only will the AWC provide this amazing certificate program to you, but we also will help you navigate the publishing world of your choice. As a “graduation bonus” after the program, those seeking traditional publication will get to meet with a literary agent seeking their genre for a discussion or representation consideration, and indie writers will get to consult with a successful self-published author!


CERTIFICATE PROGRAM UNITS:

1. BUILDING A FERTILE PREMISE/WRITING FOR THE READER:

Often writers begin with what they think is a great character or a great story idea, only to fizzle out a few chapters into the work. Why? Because a strong, sustainable narrative relies on several factors: an interesting story world; a complex character with complex relationships; goals that escalate and put the protagonist through interesting and unexpected paces; and stakes that operate on both the personal and public level.

In this generative workshop, we’ll explore the essential elements to a strong story concept, which will give you plenty to work with, help you avoid—or defeat—the saggy middle, and ultimately ensure you deliver a rewarding and memorable experience to your reader.

2. CHARACTER AGENCY:

You’ve likely heard the term used by agents, editors, or critique group members, but what—exactly—is character agency? Why is it critical, and how do you make sure your protagonist and other characters demonstrate it? If your character starts as a reluctant figure, one to whom events are happening, how can you find ways to signal that character’s strength and motivation to the reader? Come prepared to work on a new or current project of yours and make important discoveries along the way.

3. SCENE STRUCTURE:

Although many writers are familiar with the basics of scene structure, they often fail to maximize the potential of their scenes, opting for the path of least resistance instead of pushing themselves—and their characters and stories—to greater heights.

We’ll delve into the foundational element of story construction, the scene, and examine how every aspect of the scene can serve multiple functions, creating richer and more dynamic moments that lead to a more satisfying work.

4. VOICE AND POINT OF VIEW:

Although we want ALL aspects of our story to dazzle, voice and viewpoint are often the elements that excite industry gatekeepers the most—and make the book indelible and resonant to readers long after they’ve finished the story. A strong synthesis of the two—voice as the expression of personality in words and viewpoint as the connective tissue between character and reader—is essential to giving the reader the deepest, most meaningful experience of your work.

In this class, we’ll take a deep dive into crafting the voice and viewpoint of our stories through exercises, mentor texts, and lively discussion. Delve into and make strides with this crucial aspect of creative writing.

5. EMOTIONAL STORYTELLING:

More than any other way to experience art, reading is a deeply empathetic experience. We read to FEEL, to experience an emotional journey on the part of a character who can right wrongs with which we also struggle or, at least, to which we can also relate. In this hands-on class, Lorin will take you through techniques to help you create a rich emotional experience for your reader. We’ll explore ways to: anchor your story in a strong, keenly felt setting; stir reader emotions with simple descriptive details; deepen your characters’ journey through the vehicles of suffering and change; and much more.

6. ORGANIC PLOTTING/PLOTTING FROM WITHIN:

Rather than relying on external story templates often passed down from schools of thought on screenwriting, a successful novel’s strength and substance often come from what’s happening within the story’s protagonist, secondary characters, and antagonist to fuel action and topple the dominoes of plot.

In this class, we’ll explore the landscape of internal and external goals, overarching desires, emotional wounds, and unacknowledged longings. We’ll parse their different functions and explore how they can best be employed on a scene-by-scene and page-by-page basis. We’ll also discuss when desires should be made overt to the reader and when they should operate in sub-text.  Additionally, we’ll work with desire as a tool for creating tension, building apprehension and investment via dialogue, exposition, internal monologue, and more.

7. PACING:

Effective pacing, like voice, can sometimes be an “I’ll know it when I feel it” proposition, but there ARE practical considerations in creating an efficient narrative flow. In this unit, we’ll look at the issues of when to use exposition and when to employ more observable dramatic action; what kinds of scenes demand to be slowed down and savored and what scenes can be dispensed with more quickly; when–and if–we need aftermath or sequel scenes; and how to get a handle on the overall pacing of our novels, creating a sense of escalation and stronger drive as we move toward our story’s climax.

8. REVISION:

It’s been said that a story comes to life in revision, but that critical step can feel overwhelming or be conducted in a way that is superficial, focusing on line-level issues while overlooking critical issues of plot, story development, world-building, pacing, and more. In this unit, we’ll tackle the “inverted pyramid” model of revision, talk about how to build the most structurally sound and meaningful stories we can while focusing on one element at a time, and how to become fearless in taking apart and reconstructing portions of your story, as needed.

 

HOMEWORK:

Homework assignments will be assigned for each unit, due two weeks after the webinar, with participants receiving detailed written feedback from Lorin approximately two weeks after the due date. Students will also post their work on the AWC certificate program message board to receive peer feedback and offer input on the homework of their classmates who are assigned to the same critique group (4-5 participants per critique group).

 

ONE-ON-ONE MEETINGS:

Participants will also meet one-on-one with Lorin three times during the program: In January, to set expectations and goals; in May to review writing strengths and weaknesses, brainstorm story conundrums, and receive help with any issues of process; and in September for a review of overall progress with individual prescriptions for next steps, complete with helpful resources. These one-on-one meetings will deal with addressing the broad concerns of skills each participant wants to develop, understanding more about the industry, and figuring out what their process is and how to best make it work for them.

 

REWARDS AT PROGRAM END:

After completing all program homework assignments, providing online peer feedback to their critique group for each unit, and participating in the three one-on-one meetings, a personalized certificate of achievement signed by Lorin Oberweger and AWC Executive Director George Weinstein will be mailed to the participant.

In addition, the AWC will feature the graduating participants in the eQuill newsletter and in our social media.

 

GRADUATION BONUS – Meet with an Agent or Consult with a Successful Self-Published Author:

After the certificate program concludes, each graduating participant will be offered a virtual one-on-one meeting with a literary agent seeking their genre—to pitch a completed manuscript to or receive guidance if a complete work isn’t available yet—or, if interested in self-publishing, the participant can meet online with a best-selling self-published author and receive coaching about the steps they can take to publish their book successfully. The agents and self-published authors will be recruited after all participants have registered for the program so their writing genres will be known.

 

COST:

The AWC Craft of Writing Certificate Program is available only to Atlanta Writers Club members. Participants must maintain their AWC membership through the end of the program. It features eight two-hour online classes, monthly writing assignments with feedback, group message boards with peer critique, and three one-on-one consultations with Lorin Oberweger, plus a bonus online meeting with a literary agent or best-selling self-published author.

The cost is $1,995 plus a 3% credit card processing fee, payable by January 1, 2026. (The pricing works out to less than $260 per month for eight months for an intensive, premium program with personal feedback.)

If four installment payments are preferred, the cost is $498.75/month, plus a 3% processing fee, payable each of the first four program months, with the first payment due before class starts.

A limited number of partial scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis and will be awarded based on demonstrated financial need. An income tax return (with redacted social security number, birthdate, and other sensitive information) will be required along with a proposal about how much of the program cost can be paid either all at once or in installments.

 

REFUND POLICY:

If a participant withdraws from the certificate program before March 1, 2026, 50% of the amount they paid will be refunded to them. No refunds will be given for program withdrawals after the end of February 2026. Program withdrawal notification must be sent by the participant to AWC Executive Director George Weinstein at George@AtlantaWriterslub.org.

 

APPLY:

Spots are limited for this exclusive opportunity. To apply for the AWC Craft of Writing Certificate Program, you must be a current member of the Atlanta Writers Club (join here) and send the following details to AWC Executive Director George Weinstein at George@AtlantaWritersClub.org by December 15, 2025:

  1. Submit the first 5,000 words of your manuscript in a Word file or PDF with the following formatting: double-spaced, one-inch margins all around each page, 12-point serif font such as Times New Roman, indented first line of each paragraph, and no extra spaces between paragraphs. Please also use the header to put your name, the book title, and the page number on each page.
  2. Also provide a statement of 300 words or less to describe your project and also what you hope to get out of the certificate program.
  3. Specify your genre
  4. Note your payment preference (pending approval of your application):
    • Regular pricing of $2,054.85 by January 1, 2026
    • Four installment payments of $498.75/month, plus a 3% processing fee in January-April 2026
    • Scholarship request with income tax return (with redacted sensitive information) along with a proposal about how much of the $2,060 program cost can be paid either all at once or in installments (up to 8 months).