Creative Writing Atelier
Creative Writing / A semester-long workshop for Anglophone writers of all genres in Paris who are serious about craft. Small group, serious and dedicated cohort, intensive written feedback, and one-on-one mentorship and craft teachings from two widely published writers.
FALL 2026 SESSION – SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN
Deadline: SEPTEMBER 4
Tuesdays: Sept 15+29, Oct 13+27, Nov 10+24, Dec 8
19h – 21h30
About the atelier / What's included
✓ Seven workshop evenings
Meet every other Tuesday for a 2.5-hour workshop focused on discussion, critique, and craft.
✓ An intimate cohort
Just six writers, ensuring each participant receives an entire workshop devoted exclusively to their work.
✓ Detailed manuscript feedback
Receive thoughtful written and verbal feedback from both your teachers and fellow writers.
✓ Craft discussions
Each session includes close readings, literary discussion, craft teachings, and occasional writing prompts.
✓ Individual mentorship
A 30-minute individual meeting with both workshop leaders at the end of the semester to discuss your work, career, or publication goals.
✓ Reading recommendations
Personalized suggestions for books, comp titles, journals, and publication opportunities.
✓ Public reading
The opportunity to share your work at Atelier Rose events.
✓ Optional writing outings
Occasional generative writing sessions at museums or other inspiring locations around Paris.
Who It’s For
This workshop is designed for dedicated Anglophone writers of poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, and playwriting.
Previous publication and formal writing education are not required. We are looking for thoughtful, committed writers who are excited to engage deeply with both their own work and the work of others.
Whether your goal is publication or simply developing a sustainable writing practice, you’ll find a rigorous, generous, and supportive community here.
Expectations
Because every participant’s work receives extensive attention, regular attendance is essential.
Participants are expected to attend every workshop except in cases of illness, emergency, or unavoidable prior commitments. We ask everyone to arrive prepared, participate generously, and contribute to the atmosphere of trust and care that makes meaningful critique possible.
Accessibility
Writers of all backgrounds are warmly welcome.
If you have accessibility needs, please let us know, and we will do everything we can to accommodate them.
Workshops are conducted entirely in English. English does not need to be your first language, but participants should feel comfortable reading, writing, and discussing literary work in English.
Led by
Heather Hartley & Nina-Marie Gardner
Heather Hartley’s poetry collections include Adult Swim and Knock Knock, both published by Carnegie Mellon University Press. She was Paris Editor for Tin House magazine for over fifteen years. Her short fiction, poems, essays and interviews have appeared in or on PBS Newshour, The Guardian, The Literary Review and other venues as well as numerous anthologies including Food and Booze: A Tin House Literary Feast and Satellite Convulsions: Poems from Tin House.
She has taught creative writing at the University of Kent’s (UK) Paris School of Arts and Culture, the American University of Paris and the University of Texas El Paso MFA program and she has been a teacher of Atelier Rose’s Creative Writing Workshop since its inception. She is at work on a novel and her third collection of poetry.
Visit her website HERE.
Nina-Marie Gardner is an American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter based in Paris. A graduate of Yale University, her short stories, essays, and reviews have been published in Necessary Fiction, The Menteur, 3AM Magazine, The Fix, The Frisky, Flavorpill, and the anthologies Bedford Square and 3AM London, New York, Paris.
Her debut novel Sherry & Narcotics was published by Future Fiction London in 2011, and the stage adaptation was selected for the Arcola Theatre’s inaugural PlayWROUGHT Festival. A recipient of the Royal Holloway International Excellence Award and a Crossland Research Fellowship, she holds a PhD in Drama and Theatre and served as a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Drama, Theatre & Dance at Royal Holloway, University of London from 2014-2018. She has also served as a lecturer for the University of Kent’s MA Creative Writing program, Sciences Po’s Master’s in Media and Communications, and the Playwriting Intensive workshop at the National Theatre in London. Her plays have been staged in London and Edinburgh, and she co-wrote the short film Speakeasy with director Alex Browning, which premiered at the Hospital Club 10 Awards and was bought by ShortsTV. She has served on the Reader’s Panel for the National Theatre in London, the First Pages Prize, the Verity Bargate Playwriting Award, and the Colchester Theatre Mercury/Weinberger Playwriting Award.
Her feature film script AGNES GRACE was selected for the 2022 Stowe Story Labs, and her 1-hour drama television pilot A CERTAIN AGE was a finalist in the Los Angeles Film Awards and a Screencraft and Vail Film Fest quarterfinalist.
She recently completed her second novel, Margery.
Visit her website HERE.
Pricing
Atelier Rose uses a sliding scale pricing model to help make the workshop accessible while ensuring our teachers are fairly compensated and the atelier remains sustainable.
This is an honour-based system with no verification or judgment. We simply ask that you choose the tier that most honestly reflects your financial circumstances.
[ Early Bird Pricing ]
*Applications received by August 23, 2026
Community — €475
For writers experiencing financial constraints or instability.
Standard — €525
Reflects the true cost of the program and helps sustain Atelier Rose.
Community Supporter — €575
For those who are able to contribute a little more to help keep the workshop accessible to others.
[ Regular Pricing ]
*Applications received August 24 – September 4, 2026
Community — €505
Standard — €555
Community Supporter — €605
Payment plans are always available. If paying in installments would make participation possible for you, let us know.
Submission Guidelines
Application Deadline: September 4, 2026
Complete the application form below and include:
✓ Your name and contact information
✓ Your primary genre (poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, screenwriting, or playwriting)
✓ A few sentences about yourself and your writing practice
✓ A writing sample (PDF or Word document)
Writing Sample Guidelines
- Poetry: up to 10 pages
- Creative nonfiction: up to 2,000 words
- Fiction: one chapter of a novel or one short story (up to 2,000 words)
- Screenplay or play: up to 30 pages
What Happens Next?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
If you’re offered a place in the workshop, you’ll receive an email with an invitation to join and instructions for completing your registration. Your place will be confirmed once payment has been received.