The Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Trust is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization formed with a simple yet inspiring mission: to provide education to writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror that will enable them to improve their writing skills. To achieve this, the Odyssey Writing Workshops Charitable Trust offers feedback and guidance to writers at all levels, from beginners to successful professionals. Odyssey conducts in-person workshops and online courses, offers in-depth critiques, and provides many free resources, including podcasts, writing and publishing tips, and blog entries.
Many graduates of Odyssey's programs have gone on to build careers as successful, professional writers. Odyssey has made a difference in the lives of many writers, but we can only do it with your help. If you support this mission, please support Odyssey. Our website offers many ways that you can support our mission: http://www.odysseyworkshop.org/
Odyssey's programs and resources are designed to help writers of fantastic fiction take their writing to the next level. While college creative writing programs are numerous, few allow students to submit fantastic fiction, and even fewer have faculty and students equipped to provide insightful critiques on such material. By bringing together faculty and students who are familiar with fantastic fiction and who believe in its value as an art form, Odyssey allows students to receive informed, insightful feedback on their work.
Odyssey is based on the principle that the journey to become the best writer one can be is lifelong. If a writer wants to reach his full potential, to have his work live and grow along with him, he needs to constantly strive to improve. Thus Odyssey offers a variety of programs for writers:
- Odyssey Writing Workshop: Our intensive, six-week, in-person workshop is held each summer at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH, and is widely considered one of the best workshops in the world for writers of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. It is intended for writers whose work is nearing publication quality and for published writers who want to improve their work.
- Odyssey Online Classes: Several online courses are offered each winter. Each course is focused on a specific element of fiction writing and designed for writers at a particular skill level, from beginner to advanced. Courses are rigorous and demanding, and include live class interaction between students and the instructor.
- Odyssey Critique Service: Any writer can receive professional-level feedback on his fiction writing through our critique service. Critiquers are graduates of the Odyssey Writing Workshop who have gone on to successful careers as professional writers. Critiques are thorough, specific, and in depth.
Odyssey also offers many free resources for writers:
- Odyssey Podcasts: These audio excerpts from lectures by guest writers, editors, and agents at the Odyssey Writing Workshop provide a wonderful educational resource. A new podcast is posted every month or two.
- Odyssey Blog: Our monthly blog posts include writing advice and interviews with writers about writing.
- Writing Tips and Publishing Tips: As time allows, new tips are posted, offering valuable information. Tips cover issues ranging from grammatical topics like Punctuation and Sentence Unity, to story-focused topics such as Outlining Your Plot and Active Versus Reactive Characters, to publication topics such as Standard Manuscript Format and Frequently Asked Questions about Literary Agents.
- Just for Fun: This resource provides quick, easy writing exercises and ideas to help get writers' creative juices flowing and to help them focus on various specific aspects of writing. Check in periodically for new entries.
- Links: Our links page helps to connect writers with other helpful writing sites.
- E-Newsletter: Our newsletter provides the latest information on all Odyssey programs and events, as well as writing and publishing advice, news about Odyssey graduates, and alerts about new markets, agents, and resources. It is sent out about four times per year.
- For Graduates: Many resources are offered for graduates of the Odyssey Writing Workshop and the Odyssey Online Classes, including email discussion groups and critique groups allowing writers to keep in touch with classmates, discuss writing issues, share information, and critique each other's work.
If you are a writer, know a writer, or enjoy good writing, please support Odyssey and its mission to help fantasy, science fiction, and horror writers take their work to the next level. Odyssey has made a difference in the lives of many writers, but we can only do it with your help.
