Here’s what our students say about us
“I was on the fence about continuing my writing education after college. I’d been out for nearly six years, and I felt that diving back in would feel awkward and intimidating. It was neither! From the very beginning of my Fiction 1 class, Allison set a comfortable tone and created a welcoming environment. I felt a freedom to be creative and to share that creativity. I learned a lot about reading and responding to other people’s work. And, most importantly to me, I gained so much confidence in my own writing and what it could be. I cannot recommend this class enough, to aspiring writers, to lapsed writers, and to everyone in between. ”
“The Freelancing Deep Dive class was a breath of fresh air. It struck just the right balance, offering plenty of insight on writing but also addressing practicalities like strategizing story ideas, pitching effectively, and keeping all the behind-the-scenes logistics straight. Rachel was engaging, encouraging, and generous with her own experience as a freelancer. I left with a fresh set of writing tools and renewed confidence. Definitely recommend! ”
“I have now taken Memoir I and Memoir II through Redbud Writing Project and I loved both classes. I was fortunate enough to experience Memoir I as an in-person class before our current “stay at home” situation occurred. I just finished Memoir II and I must say, even though it was an online class, it was still wonderful and very interactive. I found the technological aspect of the class to be minimal and easy to manage. It did not interfere with the quality of the class at all. In fact, now I can’t think of a more pleasant experience than being able to advance my writing skills from the comfort of my own home. Anyone who wants to sharpen their writing skills, I can highly recommend this class to you!”
“I had the absolute pleasure of taking the 6-week Meditation & Memoir course with Andrea in March/April 2020 (a time that will go down in history as truly one of the most challenging times of crisis and uncertainty in our lifetimes)...and YET! Although the curriculum and schedule was originally fashioned for in-person meetings, we didn’t miss a beat adjusting to NC stay-at-home orders and transitioning instruction to online platforms. The course covered a satisfying variety of topics relevant to writing personal essays or memoir. The meditations were extra useful skills to have in the midst of a lot of craziness. Definitely helped ground my creative process. If you’ve got a piece in mind or may one day like to pen your life story, sign up! ”
“This is my second class with Redbud, the first conducted in person and the second online, and I can attest that the online experience was just as enjoyable, productive, and fun. My classmates and I shared plenty of laughs. I actually found it easier to participate in workshop in this format as I could type up the comments my peers were giving me instead of trying to hastily write them down. I would absolutely recommend this course to anyone who has been wanting to give writing a try.”
“I have now taken Memoir I & II with Redbud Writing Project. Arshia Simkin was the instructor on both occasions and she provided a very safe, thoughtful, informed and fun place to sharpen my writing skills. The first class met at Quail Ridge Books and was really helpful to me. The personal interactions between classmates was very meaningful and the feedback I received provided a path forward in my storytelling. Because writing Memoir is so intimate with very private and emotional events often being revealed, I was concerned how things would go when Memoir II became a remote class with the onset of the pandemic. My concerns were put to rest very quickly. I found the personal nature of the class was still there and I laughed, got a bit choked up a few times, received significant feedback from Arshia and my peers on how to make my writing better and didn’t want it to end. This class was a true highlight of “sheltering in place.” Thank You!”
“The Redbud Advanced Workshop had everything I hoped to find in a small group workshop: In depth written critiques, insightful discussions, and excellent guidance with an appropriate amount of craft topics and published works mixed in. The zoom format was very effective; there were a few minor technical glitches but they didnt seem to affect the discussion. I highly recommend the workshop classes for anyone looking to workshop material with a small group of dedicated writers.”
“I took two courses at a local women-owned writing school in town @redbudwriting. Besides touching up on the basics, much needed because I never took fiction classes before then, the 6-week courses gave me the opportunity to write and workshop a short story and my first chapter. I even got a whole writing group out of it. It’s been helping me so much to relearn how to read, critique, give and receive feedback, and REVISE. .”
“Writing The Novel was exactly what I needed: technical writing guidance paired with an intimate, inspirational, and safe space for learning. My online cohort was super-easy to engage through lectures, group discussions, and smaller one-on-one feedback sessions. Reading assignments expanded my understanding of writing technique, while the workshopping of our first chapters with classmates moved us forward in our writing process. I would highly recommend for newer writers looking for insightful feedback and a compassionate environment for their writing project. ”
“I just finished my last session of the Memoir and Meditation course through Redbud Writing Project …I can’t say enough good things about them - and the fantastic news is that for as long as they are online you don’t have to live anywhere near Raleigh to partake!”
“I participated in Redbud’s Writing the Novel course in April 2020. Although we had to meet online, I found every class meeting to be engaging and fulfilling. Through this course, I formed meaningful connections with other local writers, and I was exposed to novels I wouldn’t have otherwise read. I received thoughtful, professional feedback from our instructor Emily, and I enjoyed hearing how my classmates perceived my work, too. I plan to take many more courses with Redbud and I highly recommend it to others.”
“I was a student in the Redbud Writing Project and it was amazing. I never had a piece critiqued in workshop before taking this class. The process was well thought out. Each student was given individual attention to help build confidence in their work. It was just what I needed to help define what my book could look like when it’s finished. If you are thinking about writing a book or if you have one that you’ve finished...the powerful women of Redbud can help you bring your dreams of becoming an author to reality. I highly recommend them as mentors. Much love and respect.”
“Emily Cataneo is everything you could want in a teacher. In addition to being a talented facilitator, she is also friendly, punctual, thorough, and knowledgeable. I took the Memoir I course with Emily at So & So Books and was impressed by the caliber of instructor and the utility of class discussions.
The curriculum was thoughtfully designed to cover a variety of topics. Each class incorporated diverse learning experiences that allowed students to study an element of memoir then practice it in a writing prompt. As a result, my writing improved in just six weeks. I’m excited to enroll in Redbud’s next session of classes.”
“I had so much fun and learned so much over the past 6 weeks. Emily is so talented as an educator and as a writing coach - I appreciated her insights into story structure, character / plot development and the actionable feedback that she gives. Emily and Arshia are running an outstanding operation at RedBud!”
“As someone who has been wanting to focus more on her writing, I found the Redbud Writing Project Fiction I class to be extremely helpful in giving me more structure and accountability. The workshop environment was very positive and supportive and the instructors gave extremely thorough and meaningful feedback on my short story. I was pleased with the in-class exercises and am excited for my writing to take off in new directions.”
“Absolutely loved my first foray into a Redbud fiction-writing class, led by Emily Cataneo at Quail Ridge Books. The classes provided excellent structure, stimulating discussions, and thoughtful exercises designed to create confidence while bringing our creativity to the forefront, every step of the way. I appreciated the readings and shared inspiration, and I found the workshopping especially helpful. Kudos to Emily and Redbud! I’ll be back! ”
“I took two fiction classes with Emily and plan to take a third this fall. I have gotten so many great ideas and have spent more time writing as a result. She is a gift to the writing community. She is prepared with interesting, challenging assignments, and she is a great editor, teacher, and listener. I highly recommend Redbud Writing; it is a fun, affordable way to learn and workshop your writing. ”
“I am so grateful and thrilled that Arshia and Emily started Redbud! I have been attending informal prompt writing sessions on and off for the last several years in the Triangle and was looking for something more structured. That is exactly what I found in their introductory Fiction Workshop! The requirement to submit completed work (in my case, a short story) made it clear that this class was serious in its commitment to helping me grow as a writer.
Redbud’s format pushed me to finish a story I’d been toying with for some time. With greater confidence in my ability to complete stories, I am now generating more material and learning about revision (also daunting). Emily and Arshia’s concrete suggestions for beginning the revision process, which they go over at the end of the workshop, were very useful in helping me move forward after the class concluded.
Finally, the feedback I received from both Emily and Arshia, as well as the other writers in the class, was such a gift. To have a group of people sit down with your work, think thoughtfully about your goals, and then summon a list of questions & suggestions to help you move forward—necessitates devoted readers and time. Arshia and Emily do a remarkable job of modeling and fostering this kind of generosity in the people who take their classes.
I look forward to practicing my craft and developing more stories in Fiction II!”
“I am in the midst of my second creative nonfiction class with RedBud, with Emily. I cannot recommend it enough. The level of rigor and attention to detail is frankly more than what I was expecting for a part-time class. We get lots of readings and homework which give me the structure I need to improve.
The peer and community aspect is also really special. After a few sessions, the intimacy of the workshop setting means that my peers give me personal feedback, compare it to previous works, know my style of writing, etc.
Thanks Emily and Arshia for filling a gap in the market and really putting your heart into this. I really appreciate it!”
“I am new to creative writing and the Fiction I workshop was exactly what I needed. The pace of the workshop was perfect and the selected readings were thoughtfully curated to support the syllabus. I am amazed at how much we covered, with the right balance of instruction, writing and analysis of the published writing samples in each session. Arshia is a talented and supportive instructor and led a productive and engaging workshop.”
“I am so happy to have a resource like Redbud in Raleigh where I can learn alongside other writers and grow in my craft. Thank you!”