Use your writing skills to make the world a better place for animals
Writing for Animals is an online writing program designed to help writers become more effective advocates for animals.
Based on the groundbreaking book Writing for Animals, the class combines theory, craft, writing prompts and publishing insights.
Class Details
Fee: $195
Schedule: Self-paced, online
Instructors: Midge Raymond & John Yunker
Each of the eight lessons includes a video lecture along with writing prompts and handouts. There are also three additional "deep dive" sessions that focus on editing, essays, and self-publishing.
All participants receive a copy of Writing for Animals: New perspectives for writers and instructors to educate and inspire. US participants receive a choice between print and electronic versions. International participants receive an electronic edition (PDF, ePub, or Kindle).
What Writers Are Saying ...
“John and Midge are knowledgeable, positive, and generous. Their class is one part support group, one part craft lesson, one part animal education, and one part industry talk. Their experience as writers, publishers, and animal lovers translates into a comprehensive class. It is hands-down the best I’ve attended about the publishing industry. I came away with two concrete story ideas and more confidence querying my work.”
“Writing for Animals, both the online course and excellent accompanying book, changed the course of my novel, raising the profile of my animal character and adding layers of humanity, humor, and emotion to my writing.
"The course explores the history and modern interpretation of animals in many forms of writing. I finished with a fresh view of animals in my environment, a new consideration of my relationship to animals both domestic and wild, and a fresh writing voice to bring their stories and my ideas to the page.
"I have and will continue to recommend this book and course to my writing colleagues and classes."
“John and Midge provide comprehensive insights from their personal work as writers and professional viewpoints as publishers. The information is thoughtfully organized and presented with heart, warmth, and sincerity. It’s hard to find all of that in one place but in Writing for Animals, I did.”
“An informed, interesting, and inspiring workshop that invites writers of all levels, and those interested in animals in all ways, to sharpen their pencils and create on behalf of all beings.”
“Midge and John are kind, knowledgeable writers and are making the world better for animals through their art.”
“John and Midge are extremely knowledgable and are doing vitally important work toward changing hearts and minds regarding non-human animal protection. I thank them for sharing this valuable knowledge with us in this excellent course.”
“The writing prompts were rich and generative. I finished the workshop with three new essays that I can add to my manuscript.”
“This course encouraged me to reflect on my long history of advocating for animals and developing plans for action in writing.”
"It is clear that John and Midge know whereof they speak! Learn from their experience!"
"I thoroughly enjoyed this class from the reading material and the writing prompts to the presentations and exercises. As a first-time writer it really helped me to understand the craft of writing for animals and gave me the opportunity and confidence to start writing on a regular basis. Thank you to John and Midge.”
"Writing for Animals is an excellent online course for anyone, no matter at what level of writing, to benefit from the wisdom and experience of two professional publishers and writers. I learned a lot, had fun, and now have great notes I can refer to when I begin and work through my creative project. While each and every lesson was valuable, the deep-dive sessions were particularly useful, even for more experienced writers. The course was well worth the time and offered at a reasonable cost. I found the pace and organization worked well, and the self-paced version is an option for busy professionals."
Participants will learn:
- How animal literature has evolved over the past hundred years and where it is headed
- What anthropomorphism is and how to address it through your writing
- How to give voices to animals while honoring their true voices
- How to create characters that pull readers in and open minds and hearts
- How to navigate the publishing industry, with a focus on animal writing
Class Outline
- Introduction: Welcome to Writing for Animals
Part I: Planning Your Writing Journey
- Class 1: The animal turn, science & research
- Class 2: Genre, audience & story
Part II: Planning Your Reader’s Journey
- Class 3: How to take your readers where they may not want to go
- Class 4: Elements of surprise: Flipping the power dynamic
Part III: The Craft of Writing for Animals
Part IV: Publishing for Animals
- Class 7: Understanding the publishing industry
- Class 8: Your journey to publication (and beyond)
Deep Dive Sessions
- The Animal Essay: From idea to publication
- Self-editing: How to be your own best editor
- Self-publishing: From start to finish
All participants receive a copy of Writing for Animals: New perspectives for writers and instructors to educate and inspire. US participants receive a choice between print and electronic versions. International participants receive an electronic edition (PDF, ePub, or Kindle).
“My stories and novels include animals, yet I hadn't truly ‘noticed,’ much less developed, these fellow beings. It's exciting to re-imagine them and give these characters their true ‘voices,’ along with a vibrant presence.”
“Writing for Animals is an exciting and useful workshop series because it focuses on exactly what it says it does—writing FOR animals. Not about animals, but for—both in exploring the animals' perspective in our writing as well as becoming more aware of the ways our writing impacts animals in general. As a longtime animal advocate, animal rescue worker, vegan, and writer, I felt the class helped me understand how all of these roles and the experiences they've brought into my life fit together to make me a better writer.”
“Workshop is not just informative and enjoyable but also asks difficult questions. Being in class with other writers who love animals is an added plus.”
"The Writing for Animals course content and writing prompts helped me improve as a writer. This online class provided just the focus I need as I work on my nature blog and novel series. In addition, I now belong to a community of authors who are writing about and for animals. Midge and John are terrific teachers!"
"John and Midge offered a warm and thoroughly informative gift that left me feeling far more connected to the community of those writing for animals. The work they do with publishing and teaching is such a blessing to animal advocates and artists alike."
"This class opened my eyes to a niche I only wish I'd known about years ago. It was a real treasure to find my new writing home."
