Writing Courses

I have over 15 years of experience teaching creative writing—from the Tin House Summer Workshop to the Sarah Lawrence MFA Program to self-designed online workshops. In addition to my annual novel generator, I teach classes on sex writing, radical honesty, magazine pitching, and more. I’d love to see you in class!

Forthcoming Courses

First Impressions: On Pitching Essays to Magazines

Sunday, September 28
3:00 - 6:00pm EST

For writers accustomed to submitting to literary journals, pitching essays to magazines often requires a massive shift in technique. Many of the rules of submitting to journals—only send completed work, don’t over explain your piece in the cover letter, let the writing speak for itself—don’t apply when writing a pitch. The pitch needs to grab an editor’s attention in the first paragraph; it needs to present an entire piece in only a couple of sentences. Making this shift can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. In this intensive workshop, we will work on writing our own pitches, moving from the initial spark of an idea to outlining an opening email to editors. We will discuss strategies for finding the right editors for a piece, how to shape pitches for time-sensitive news stories, when to follow up, tips for conducting interviews, and how to determine your rates.

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Where to Begin: How to Build Momentum in the Opening Pages of Novels

Thursday, November 13
6:00 - 8:00pm EST

What makes a novel impossible to put down? How does a novelist create momentum from the opening page? In this craft lecture, students will study opening passages from authors like Raven Leilani, Sarah Thankam Mathews, James Baldwin, Imogen Binnie, and others to learn how novel beginnings convey the arc of the book to follow.

As readers, we will focus on tone, setting, characterization, and plot to get a sense of what the writer has done to draw the reader into the world of the novel. Topics covered will include world-building, character development, shifting points-of-view, nontraditional form, unreliable narration, and dialogue. The attention to both introductory and advanced craft elements will make this course suitable for writers at every level.

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Year-Long Novel Generator

Novels are written alone—but you shouldn’t have to revise your novel or talk about it alone. A supportive community of writers can be the difference between a few opening chapters tossed in the trash and a full manuscript emailed to agents. Every year, I offer a year-long novel generator with twelve writers looking to complete their first novels. We read and discuss the debut novels of established authors, share our draft pages, and workshop full manuscripts. Along the way, we discuss our process both in class and outside of it. Class includes visits from established novelists, editors, and agents.

This year’s generator is currently underway, but the 2026-27 session will be begin in summer 2026. Check back for enrollment and scholarship information. And feel free to reach out if you have questions!

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Testimonials from Former Students

  • The novel generator with Isle was an incredible resource that allowed for a seemingly impossible goal to feel achievable. The structure, tone, and peers of the class created an enriching sense of community. I looked forward to each week's class, and enjoyed engaging with everyone's work. Isle's feedback and support have been invaluable.

    -Kelly, former student

  • I joined the novel generator with no MFA, but a spirit of commitment to my novel and to learning how to build a routine around novel-writing. Isle was a tremendously generous teacher and mentor throughout this process, and they took the time to get to know me and my goals. They continuously went above and beyond to work directly with my needs to get what I needed out of this year. I was able to write two drafts of my novel and get tremendously helpful feedback in both group and individual settings. I continue to work on and develop my novel to this day using everything I learned from Isle's workshop, and because of this, I have gone on to win national level awards and gain spots in prestigious writing conferences. I learned who I am as a writer, with Isle's guidance, and I also explored what the literary life really means to me. I am forever grateful I had this experience. I have left with a new learning ethos, several friends, a novel draft, and a lifelong mentor in Isle.

    -Swati, former student

  • Isle was an invaluable guide throughout my year-long journey in the First Novel Generator Workshop. Unlike other workshops, where eccentricities can often be stifled, Isle approached my project on its own terms and encouraged my experimentation. Their feedback helped me refine my vision while staying true to my voice. Isle’s expertise in contemporary literature not only helped me see how my novel fit within certain literary traditions but also challenged me to build upon these influences, inspiring me to innovate in ways I hadn’t considered. The workshop covered plot, structure, tone, and style with precision, and Isle’s feedback always explained why something worked or didn’t and then offered actionable insights. By the end of the year, I finished a first draft and gained a much deeper understanding of craft. I highly recommend Isle and this workshop to any writer looking to grow!

    -Evander, former student

  • Isle's class gave me the entire foundation for my manuscript. From deeply relevant readings to in-class generative exercises to classmate relationships that have lasted long after the course, the time I spent every week with Isle, other writers, and my own writing, allowed me to complete multiple drafts of a novel and chart out a path toward final polish with confidence. I'm grateful for the time, attention, and community Isle and the course provided for me and my work.

    -Rebecca, former student

  • Isle McElroy's First Novel Generator is as challenging as it is rewarding. It is an excellent opportunity to learn about the process of creating a novel, and to develop one's own project in a supportive and encouraging environment. Under Isle's leadership, everyone's work is treated with care and respect making it an enriching and productive experience. Isle is truly an inspired and inspiring teacher.

    -Eileen, former student

  • Class with Isle was fantastic, it was the highlight of my year. They are a thoughtful, engaged reader and an excellent teacher. They clearly articulated certain patterns and tendencies in my writing I could not see for myself, and generated lively discussion around all of our manuscripts. I recommend this class to anyone looking for any of the following: writing accountability, animated discussion, and significant feedback from a committed group of writers and a brilliant teacher.

    -Eve, former student