Julia Fierro is incredibly inflexible with regards to her students needs after you've handed your check over (but unsurprisingly quite nice ahead of time). Be warned! In my case, I registered ahead of time, paid the entire fee ahead of time, and only attended one session before I realized I would be unable to take the class due to work constraints. I asked Julia if it would be possible for me to receive (not even a full or partial refund) credit for a future class, and she blatantly refused in a righteous tone, stating that I had taken a seat away from another student, so I wouldn't be able to receive future credit. I was disappointed in the way Sackett handled the whole affair and its lack of respect for its customers. I can't speak to the actual experience of this workshop, but if there is any possibility of unforeseen events in your life requiring flexibility, know that you will get none from Sackett. read more

I don't know what some of these other reviewers are talking about: the Sackett Street Writers' Workshop--with it's cadre of skilled, compassionate, and downright bad-ass instructors and students--is the best ongoing writing workshop in NYC unaffiliated with an MFA program. It literally changed my life. When I first signed up, I had never written a piece of fiction. Ever. Fast forward a couple years to now: I re-evaluated my life, quit my soul-crushing job, and enrolled full-time in a top-tier MFA program in the city (with a full ride and generous stipend to boot). I also know I'm not alone in this sentiment, and that positive experiences like mine vastly outnumber the negative ones posted here. Take a few concrete examples. At least three of the four students in my first workshop have since left steady paychecks for MFA programs (I didn't keep in touch with the fourth, but I wouldn't be surprised if he did, too). I also ran into another "classmate" from a different Sackett workshop at one MFA program's admitted students reception, where, not surprisingly, many other students had taken workshops with Sackett as well. What these anecdotes indicate is that the *students* in Sackett workshops are just as impressive as the instructors. They take creative writing seriously, give thoughtful and constructive feedback, and are damn talented. Any program can boast about faculty achievements, but few attract the caliber of student that SSWW does. If you're going to take a writing workshop in New York, take Sackett. Hands down. Then get the hell off the internet and start writing. read more

My first Sackett experience was spectacular and inspiring, and gave me the courage to apply to MFA programs. I have one semester left at a highly ranked program in the city, and have been fortunate to win a few merit-based awards. Looking back on my first workshop with SSWW, I can say that my instructor, Ted Thompson, took everyone's work very seriously. The feedback I received was insightful and nurturing (without being coddling), and made it glaringly obvious that my intentions, as author, took precedent. The environment was hospitable, and even (dare I say it?) FUN! Our final class took the cake, and still, in all my experiences, takes the cake: we read Dear Sugar's advice to "write like a motherfucker." For those people who are bothered because a fellow writer took offense to a colleague's work, this seems like a non-issue to me. If nothing else, that should be taken as a compliment. Better to offend than to bore. Right? We're in a business that has no scientific method by which to measure the validity of our work. There's no litmus test here but personal taste. Offend away. It wouldn't be right for me to leave out the fact that I did have a slightly less than 5-star experience in the last Sackett workshop I took, which I ended up withdrawing from. The class was ginormous, but come to think of it, the feedback I got from fellow classmates was thoughtful and generous. However, the instructor seemed less enthusiastic about his responsibilities. Julia Fierro expressed genuine sympathy for me when I withdrew, and offered to switch me into a different workshop. I'm sure that when it comes to hiring writing instructors, the vetting process is not easy. Don't blame Julia. Blame the instructor. Better yet, confront the instructor. Sap him/her of everything he or she has to offer. Julia is a terrific diplomat in my experience. I'm having a difficult time imagining her as incredibly inflexible, let alone inflexible sans the adverb which doesn't do much good as a qualifier and only makes it sound like a personal problem. SSWW is not a money grab. SSWW is a nexus that brings together talented writers from diverse walks of life and prepares them for the next level. Definitely the best workshop program the city has to offer. read more

"To get a sense of how successful Fierro has been in realizing her vision of a kinder, gentler workshop framework, you need only scan online reviews by former students. "I've taken six Sackett classes," wrote one commenter on the Creative Writing MFA Blog. "Yes, six. Although I already had an MFA, the Sackett approach was unique in its combination of rigor *and* support-that is, extremely close reading and intelligent examination of craft, but no mean-spiritedness."" Having taken five Sackett Street courses myself, I can only echo the commenter's thoughts. Under the careful ministrations of teachers like Straub, I produced more fiction in two years than I had in my previous twenty. My critical habits developed even as the scathing voice in my head died away. I began to see what I was good at and where I might hope to advance. Not everything I wrote succeeded, but I came to see the bad as a stepping stone instead of as a roadblock. Fierro's philosophy deserves much of the credit for this. Sackett's emphasis on craft puts the power in the hands of the writer. In Fierro's universe, you don't have to be born extraordinary to earn the label writer, you just need to write, and write, and keep on writing. Thanks to Sackett Street, for the first time in my life I can, in good conscience, call myself a fiction writer. http://brooklynbased.com/blog/2013/01/04/sackett-street-a-kinder-gentler-writers-workshop/ read more

Sackett Street is one of my favorite things about Brooklyn. I have now taken two workshops (and will soon be signing up for a third!) and both experiences have been really special. The instructors are kind, insightful and feel genuinely interested in helping their students to become better writers. The feedback I got was invaluable. My other classmates in both workshops have all been talented, respectful and really just amazing people in general. I can't speak highly enough about Sackett. I've learned so much and feel like I've gained a lot of courage to share my work and passion to keep writing! If you're looking for an opportunity to hone your writing skills in a comfortable environment with good people, I definitely encourage you to take a class! read more

If you want to write, this is the place to go. Julia Fierro is wonderful (I'm not sure what the one review meant below - Julia sends emails letting you know what's going on each step of the way, then hands off to the instructor - lots of care). She holds readings every few months so you can get a taste of what some of the instructors are writing, and it helps you choose who you want to work with. Smart. The instructors themselves are generally early in their writing careers, but have achieved much acclaim for their work. What's good about this is that they've just gone through what the student is going through with workshop, and have come out on top. So, you could have someone who went to Iowa teaching you what they learned from Marilynne Robinson. That's amazing. And it works - my writing completely changed after taking several classes. My fellow students are people whom I've formed strong friendships with and they still read my work to this day, even though we're all in different MFA programs. You're working with other artists, and it's New York City, you never know what you're going to get, so sure, there can be a dud, but this doesn't really impact class too much. The instructors are pretty good at honing those people in. Everyone else is generally at the same writing level (you're placed that way) so you can learn from one another and not feel bored or overwhelmed. And also get a drink afterwards and talk about writing even more. Honestly, I don't know what else you could want. Sackett's incredible. read more

Thank you, Sackett St Writers Workshop. Workshops can be brutal, but they can also be incredibly rewarding. As I struggle to wrap my brain around how to write good fiction, I am more inspired than ever to focus and continue working. I feel I have more specific, technical tools and knowledge than I've ever had. Now, more clearly than ever, I see the path to really honing the craft. It will be a long path, but at least I think I can see it now. The process is not always "fun," but it is worth it. The smart approach to how the classes are taught and how the critiquing is structured really helps to see things more objectively. I took this class at a rough time in my life, but I did so because I needed help to re-engage my brain with something I really cared about. This class did the trick. The instructor was a professional writer himself, and a class act the entire way - kind, funny, sharp, insightful, knowledgeable, and seemed dedicated and invested in helping other writers grow. Will definitely try to take another class again soon, and would definitely recommend. read more

I took the Fiction I/II class with Rachel Lyons. The class was great and Rachel was a very helpful instructor. The class ranged in experience from first timers to more professional writers. I love that the class is taught at the instructor's house, even though it was a bit of a trek to get to. I highly recommend Rachel, who was open to all our ideas and genuinely trying to help us become better writers. Attendance was spotty at times but for the most part it didn't detract from the class. I'll definitely be taking another Sackett workshop. read more

Sackett Street is promoted as a writing workshop for professionals - at least in my experience, it is not that. So far as I could tell, other than the instructor and maybe one other person, I was the only professional writer. Most of the class participants were in their early 20s and just finding their stride and their voice or even, in some cases, how to string a sentence together that didn't need to be read five times for elucidation. That said, there was some raw talent in the class that might bloom in later years - most of us aren't great writers that young. But it does make for some sticky reading every week. If you're working on a novel, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this - you get 50 pages to workshop total, it's more appropriate for short stories. There is really no way you can show someone the corner of a painting and ask for a critique of the whole thing. However, there were a few people in class who offered some very nice feedback, and that may make it worth it for some, I guess it depends on where you are with your writing. The instructor, Bill Cheng, is not the type who will tell you what is working in your writing - he freely admits this - but will concentrate virtually solely on what is not, so have a thick skin. He delves into your writing in a mathematical way sometimes, which can be helpful in terms of structure, and he asks important, albeit tough, questions. I think my single most illuminating time in the workshop was my one-on-one with Bill, when he asked me 'What does your character eat for breakfast?' This might sound somewhat precious and insane, but his point is sound: Do you really KNOW this person? Is he/she a real person, not just a straw figure set up to move about to hit your plot points? After that, I added a layer of 'breakfast material' to my novel and it helped immensely. And if you still think this is about Raisin Bran, you're missing the point. I'm not sure I would take another class, but I would pay to sit down with Bill and psychoanalyze my material some more. (That said, I can't believe that Yelp is asking about Pokemon down below!) read more

Beware of 1 star reviews that say, "I can't speak to the actual experience of this workshop." Ha. I feel compelled to share my experience with Sackett Street. I've done workshops all over NYC and Sackett is now the only one I come back to. I'm a part of an informal writing group made up purely of former Sackett Street participants. The teachers have generally been through the best writing programs in the country, and you will benefit from their talent, dedication, and networks. I can't imagine a better organization for someone contemplating an MFA, someone who simply enjoys being around other writers, someone who needs deadlines to get them off their ass and write something, or someone like me who fits the description of all of the above. That said, maybe I should caveat this review by reminding the public that showing up to a class is, in fact, a prerequisite for having a positive experience. read more

As with most fiction classes, it really depends on the teacher, so do your research. I asked Julia for a recommendation based on what I was looking for, and she recommended Ted Thompson, who turned out to be one of the best teachers I've ever had. I think when you finish a fiction class feeling like there's still so much to learn, you know it was a good one. His comments were insightful and decisive, without being prescriptive. He always had an answer for our questions, which is something I haven't found with many teachers. I felt like I could trust every ounce of his feedback and use it to make my work stronger. He also has a serious skill for manuscript edits -- his deletions really helped me to understand how cutting dialog, especially, can make a scene that much more powerful. And he was super accommodating in terms of my MFA applications. In general, Sackett is a great fit for people who are looking to apply for MFA programs -- I've found that some of the other workshops in the city definitely are not. That said, I will admit that there are some administrative problems with the program. In a different Sackett workshop, I encountered some scheduling issues and the like, but I wouldn't let that deter you. If you take a class with the right instructor, it's definitely worth the money and the time. read more

I took the Fiction III workshop with Ted Thompson. I have taken numerous writing workshops over the years, probably a dozen or so, and this was the best. First, Ted put more thought and time into reading and commenting on my work than any of my previous instructors. I found the analysis and suggestions extremely useful, which is also sadly rare in my experience. Next, the quality of the discussion was extremely rigorous and intellectually engaging, thanks in great part to the instructor's exceptional gift (in my opinion) for analysis of fiction. It was also fun. Ted's workshop is a resource that any serious fiction writers ought to take advantage of while it is available and open to the general public. read more