May 14-17, 2026

Join us for a weekend of writing, connecting and exploring Detroit! We’ll hear from local authors, meander among artwork, murals and nature, and taste some of the best flavors the Motor City has to offer, all as inspiration for our writing.

The retreat is led by DWR Coach Lynne Golodner and features writing sessions at the Wayne State University Press and Michigan Central Station.

Members get 20% off registration. Space is limited to 15 writers. Must apply to attend by March 1, 2026.

Apply here.

Feb. 25 from 6:30 - 8 p.m.

Nothing pairs better with wine than some creative writing and fun times. oin us on at Santé in Farmington for an interactive creative writing workshop themed all around wine! Detroit Writing Room founder Stephanie Steinberg will guide you with writing prompts that explore writing with the five senses as you smell, taste — and yes — touch your wine. We'll practice writing from different perspectives. You'll put your imagination to work and pretend you're the wine bottle on your shelf. What would that bottle say about you or your household? We'll also pour into some of our favorite memories surrounding a good glass of wine.

Each ticket includes a flight of three 2.5-ounce pours. Guests can choose from 32 wines. Please bring your favorite notebook or writing materials. We'll supply the purple pens!

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July 6 - 17, 2026

The Detroit Writing Room Journalism Camp in partnership with Coaching Detroit Forward and Planet Detroit is returning this summer! High school students will learn writing, reporting, storytelling and more from over 30 local journalists. Over two weeks, students will write and report a story that will be published by Planet Detroit and printed in Perspectives Magazine.

Detroit students are eligible to attend for free, and full scholarships are available for students with financial need. Apply by May 1, 2026.

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March 18 from 6 - 7 p.m.

The first hurdle of writing is getting it all down, then the next step is revising, a.k.a. line editing. Line editing is the art of examining your work sentence by sentence, word by word, to elevate it from competent to compelling.

This interactive virtual workshop led by New York Writing Room coach Johanie Martinez-Cools will help you identify and eliminate common elements that dilute your writing's impact. We'll go over passive verbs, awkward constructions, rhythm problems and vague adjectives. For writers of all genres, the workshop includes exercises to practice your newfound skills. We also encourage you to come with your line editing questions!

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March 19, June 16, Sept. 15 and Dec. 8

7 - 8 p.m. EST

Pen & Persistence is a space for writers who understand that the hardest part of the writing journey isn’t the craft but everything that comes with it.

Writers will come together not to workshop or critique, but to support one another through the doubts, anxieties, rejections and to celebrate the small victories. Whether you’re stuck, waiting for that acceptance email, or trying to make time for the page amid a busy life, this is a place to commiserate, listen and remember that you don’t have to carry the writing journey alone.

Led by writer Della Cassia, the group will meet quarterly in-person, with additional Zoom meetings in-between. Free for DWR members. General admission is $20 per event.

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April 14 from 6 - 7 p.m

How do you approach voice in your non-fiction manuscript? How much detail should you include? How do you find an audience that wants to read your work? What’s the process look like from the starting blocks to the finish line? Is there a finish line? Those questions and more will be answered by Keith Wunderlich, author of "Coach of Champions: D.L. Holmes and the Making of Detroit’s Track Stars" published in 2025 by the Wayne State University Press.

Wunderlich will share parts of his original manuscript, give you the opportunity to fix it and share how he (and editors) fixed it for the final draft. One year after the publication of his book, he’ll take workshop participants through his experience finding his audience and marketing the book. You don’t have to understand track and field to enjoy this workshop. In fact, it may be beneficial if track isn’t in your top 10 favorite sports. You’ll learn how to write a book about something not everyone loves and make it interesting and compelling.

All attendees will receive a copy of Keith's book (retail value $26.99) included with their ticket!

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