The Milk House provides online writing classes and workshops to help authors improve their craft and increase the likelihood of being published in literary journals. The ability to write is not a gift that anyone is born with, but instead one that must be earned draft by draft, sentence by sentence.
The writing courses on The Milk House are delivered at university standards while accessible to writers of all levels. They are inclusive, supportive, yet detailed and comprehensive to ensure all participants get the most out of them. The instructor, Ryan Dennis, has taught over 25 writing courses across four universities.
All classes and workshops will be recorded, so those you can’t attend a session can still get the information. If you would like to attend but cannot afford it, please email RyanDennis@themilkhouse.org.
2025 Writing Workshops
In 2025, The Milk House will host two online writing workshops, with a duration of two hours each. Each workshop will focus on one specific aspect of craft, and combine instruction, examples and exercises. The specific date of each workshop will be given closer to their slotted months.
Note that the workshops are free to WRITER or SUPPORTER subscribers on The Milk House. Click here to view subscription details.
The Ol' He Said, She Said:
How to Write Stronger Dialogue
April 2025
From the perspective as both an educator and journal editor, I find that a workshop on dialogue is one of the most useful lessons to deliver, as the small but important edits we’ll explore can make a significant impact on a piece of writing. Purple Doesn’t Look Good on Anyone:
How to Write Emotion
August 2025
Readers come to a story wanting to feel something. It’s our task as writers to remind them that they’re human and prone to all the complexities of joy and sorrow that comes with that. For better or worse, that doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not enough to simply write about something sad.
This workshop will break down techniques essential for delivering emotion within fiction and nonfiction that avoid cliché, melodrama or disengaging the reader. It will focus on preventing pitfalls that are common among beginning and experienced writers, as well as how to deliver prose that are original and stay with the reader once they leave the story. We’ll look at how the whole scene can be used to create emotion, as well as an examination of how to best use interior monologue.
Upcoming Online Writing Classes
Ryan Dennis occasionally offers comprehensive 5 to 8-week writing courses in fiction and nonfiction. Below are examples of previous classes. If considering attending any of these courses in the future, please fill out the form below, as well as your likely availability. A course will run when enough interest has been expressed.
Fiction Writing I
Cost: $95
This 5-week course explores specific, craft-based techniques to significantly improve your fiction. From concept to the words on the page, the material will be delivered at a university level, but will be accessible and useful to writers of all experience. Beginning and intermediate writers, in particular, will have a lot to gain from each class.
The course will cover the following subjects: Characterization, Showing vs Telling, Dialogue, Point of View and Narrative Distance.
Tell Your Story (Memoir/Nonfiction Writing)
Cost: $125
Everyone has a story to tell. This course will help you make that story effective.
This 7-week course explores specific, craft-based techniques to improve your memoir and creative essay writing skills. From concept to the words on the page, the material will be delivered at a university level, but will be accessible and useful to writers of all experience. Beginning and intermediate writers, in particular, will have a lot to gain from each class.
Fiction Workshop
The introductory session will occur online the first meeting. The workshop will run on at the same time for the next 4-6 weeks (depending on number of participants).
Cost: $80
There is no better opportunity to get extensive feedback on a piece than from a well-run workshop.
Ryan Dennis will facilitate one-hour group workshop sessions that provide a friendly yet focused environment in which the work of enrolled writers can be closely examined.
Please click on the links below to find more details on how the workshops are run.
Fiction Writing II
Cost: $95
This 5-week course explores specific, craft-based techniques to significantly improve your fiction. From concept to the words on the page, the material will be delivered at a university level, but will be accessible and useful to writers of all experience. Beginning and intermediate writers, in particular, will have a lot to gain from each class.
The course will cover the following subjects: Interior Monologue, Writing Emotion, Writing Action, Pacing, Sentence Structure and Workshopping Skills.
Please feel free to contact Ryan Dennis at RyanDennis@themilkhouse.org with any questions or comments regarding the online writing classes.
