Every writer must choose the POV (point of view) from which their story is told. But how to choose what’s best? Goucher College professor and novelist Antje Rauwerda will discuss the effect on your reader that you can elicit by using first person (I), second person (you), omniscient (they/all-seeing), and various limited versions of each of these. You will have some time to experiment with different POVs and to share observations, to better decide what works for your writing.

Editors and literary agents often say that the first page of a story—or even the first paragraph—dictates whether they keep reading the manuscript—but too often, a story doesn’t actually ‘start’ until page four or five. College writing professor and senior fiction reader for Cherry Tree literary magazine Elise Gallagher will guide attendees on elements needed for an engaging opening page, and examine stories by well-established authors to see how they implemented these techniques into their writing. Writers will complete generative exercises to practice weaving these tools into their own opening paragraphs. Come with the start of a story already written or start fresh.

Rich, believable characters don't just populate your story: they propel it! This interactive seminar focuses on using a character's personal history to explore how past experiences may shape their motivations, influence their decisions, and bring emotional depth to their journey. Carol Oles, founding member of the Denton Storytellers Guild and seasoned technical writer—and Manor Mill’s Writers Circle leader—will guide participants through exercises and discussion to practice techniques for crafting dynamic characters whose voices and choices drive the plot. Whether you're writing fiction, memoir, or narrative non-fiction, this session will help bring your characters vividly to life.

Why interview someone? What kinds of questions are best explored in a session? What considerations work best for live versus recorded conversations? Drawing upon 20+ years of experience interviewing, freelance science writer (and host of Manor Mill’s Prose Night), Susan Reslewic Keatley will guide participants through what makes for a great interview, as well as covering what to avoid in an interview and the importance of releasing your agenda.

 The session will include time for a mock interview between Susan and someone from the audience, and/or practice interviews among participants, with the goal for attendees to leave with an appreciation of the interview as a conversation that can foster connection, establish trust and intimacy, shape storytelling, and engage an audience.

Manor Mill’s Poetry Night host and published poet Mel Edden will discuss her own poetry journey, touching on establishing good writing habits, the benefits of networking with and reading the work of other poets, and getting your first poem published. While this session is aimed at new writers, all are welcome! Please bring one original poem to share.

Rafael Alvarez spent twenty years on the city desk of The Baltimore Sun and worked at the Port of Baltimore before writing for the critically acclaimed television shows HOMICIDE and THE WIRE, along with columns about Baltimore for national publications. With an abiding passion for B’more that comes from deep roots—grandfathers who worked at the Bethlehem Steel shipyard and the National Bohemian brewery, and a father who was a Fells Point tugboat engineer—Rafael’s talk will explore how profound connection with a particular setting creates an almost character-like presence in one’s work…and can lead to unexpected journeys in the writing life.   

Writing can be a lonely process. But we can connect and create…together! Alex Hewett (co-host of tonight’s MORTIFIED BALTIMORE show at Manor Mill and Stevenson University / JHU Odyssey instructor) will offer an interactive creative workshop of improv, movement, and collaborative writing exercises.

Session limited to twelve participants. No preparation is necessary. Please dress comfortably, bring a notebook and pen, and your sense of adventure and curiosity.

Some of the most memorable writing comes from times of tremendous challenge. Having lived through war and its aftermath, investigative journalist for Abu Dhabi Media and Syrian novelist and poet Soha Alsoufi knows the importance of telling authentic stories that document not only what happened, but also how human beings are changed by their experience—including us as writers.

This session will discuss how to navigate the emotional weight of telling real stories with courage, honesty, and care to transform pain into art, exploring how storytelling can help process difficult memories, reclaim identity, and even recover creativity after periods of silence or fear.

 The workshop is open to anyone interested in memoir, storytelling, or the healing power of creative expression.

Book publishing has strict ‘rules’ for young readers—and you need to know the rules to successfully write for that market. For instance, what makes a chapter book different from a middle grade novel? Children’s book author and UBalt / JHU Odyssey professor Tracy C. Gold guides you through the wild and woolly path to sort out age categories, genres, and publication paths for children’s literature, from board books up to young adult, giving you a strong sense of how to categorize drafts and book ideas, what the current children’s publishing landscape is like, and inspiration for writing your own books.

Multiple bestselling-novelist Matt Norman brings a depth of great experience in writing and publishing to a candid ‘Ask Me Anything’ Q&A with Mill participants. Prepare for a hilarious, heartfelt, eye-opening, and eminently useful session as this Baltimore-based author gives honest answers to questions about “everything you ever wanted to know about writing and publishing…but were maybe too embarrassed to ask.”  Attendees will be able to submit questions anonymously if desired.