HALLIE EPHRON: I'm thrilled to report that I'll be teaching a 5-day master class on writing a mystery/suspense novel in (drum roll...) PARIS (31 May - 5 June 2026).
When the invitation to teach a master class at the 2026 WICE Paris Writers Workshop arrived, I pinched myself.
I present at a lot of writing confeence, but it's not often that I get to teach a really intensive, down in the nitty-gritties, week-long master class on writing with a group SMALL enough (max 12). With plenty of time for me to get to know the writers in the room and for them to get to know each other.
And Paris? Zoot alors!!
Then I scurried about making sure it was real... because, well, you know, sadly you've got to double and triple check everything that arrives via the Internet these days.
Turns out the Paris Writers Workshop, founded in 1989, is the oldest writers workshop in Europe. It's run by WICE ( Where Internationals Connect in English) which was started by a group of American expats back in 1978.
Earlier this week I caught up with Lorie Lichtlen, this year's workshop co-director. Thirty years ago, she came to Paris as a journalist and she's still there. More recently Lorie made her living writing for big businesses like Euro Disney.
Lorie has been coming to the Paris Writers Workshop since 2014, and fondly recalls the year she got to learn from Carol Shields (that same year that Shields won the Pulitzer).
She credits WICE for nurturing the creative nonfiction writer in her, and for introducing her to a community of writers.
She was delighted to talk about this year's faculty - six of us - and their first time offering a master class on writing mystery and suspense.
To say I'm looking forward to this would be an understatement! Because I *love love love* Paris. And my happy place is teaching.
The workshop will be held at the Paris College of Art, near the Arc de Triomphe and the Champs-Élysées.
I'm hoping that some of the aspiring writers among our Red readers will be up for joining me in Paris. (No you do not need to speak French.)
And today's question: Do you have memories of Paris, or is it on your travel wish list?
REGISTER WICE Paris Writers Workshop - 31 May - 5 June 2026
https://wice-paris.org/paris-writers-workshop
Early bird registration until 2 March
PROGRAM
https://www.wice-paris.org/pww2026_program
PHOTO of the Arc de Triomphe By Kainet - Flickr: Arc de Triomphe HDR, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30352419
How wonderful, Hallie . . . this sounds amazing --- and in Paris! [No, I've never been there; of course it's on my travel wish list] . . . .
ReplyDeleteCongratulations, Hallie! A writing workshop in Paris sounds like a dream. I’ve been to Paris and I remember having my first Kir Royal drink there. I just learned that there are more bikes in Paris now. We visited the Louvre and the musee d’Orsay.
ReplyDeleteHallie, that is going to be fantastic! Your lucky students... I've been to Paris several times - once on Bastille Day - but not for many years.
ReplyDeleteHallie,
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll have a great time both on the trip itself and teaching the class.
However, Paris and/or France in general is not on my mythical list of travel destinations. It's just never held any draw for me. Probably something to do with the fact I was abysmal in French class in high school.
Hallie, that sounds absolutely fabulous. You are going to have a great time and what an experience for the ages! Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI was in Paris 50+ years ago. I was traveling through Europe with my school's art teacher and you can imagine how much she wanted to see. Unfortunately, I had eaten something at the train station when we left Switzerland that made me really sick. I think that by the day we left Paris, I could finally eat an omelet. We did go sightseeing and to the Louvres, but it wasn't fun like it should have been. I've not gone back.