I moved back to NYC in 2018 to pursue a writing career. The first professional author I met was Charles Salzberg. Nothing could have been more auspicious. He made me a member of the New York Writers Workshop and met with me to discuss the publishing industry in the city. A half dozen NYWW conferences, literary agent panels, and classes later, I had published three shorts stories and my debut novel, TIME Blinked. Would never have happened without Charles, Tim Tomlinson, and the New York Writers Workshop. Their advice, mentorship, and encouragement has been invaluable to my success.--George Young
Christina Chiu is the rare instructor who cares about her students and pushes them toward their creative goals with conviction and compassion. I participated in her four-session fiction writing workshop through the NYPL and NYWW in December of 2020, and it was one of the best experiences I've had in a writing course. From the beginning, Christina fostered a sense of community and cultivated a wonderful safe space for us all to share our work with each other. Her lesson plans were well-thought-out, with clear progression, goal-setting, and forward momentum. I felt both creatively challenged and richly rewarded in the end, thanks to her generous feedback and encouragement.-- Connie Sun
Deep gratitude to Charles Salzberg and Laura Zinn Fromm at New York Writers Workshop. Thank you for helping me generate material, edit, edit, edit and eventually create an arc that transformed my stories into a dramatic arc. Without their support The Girl in the Red Boots: Making Peace with My Mother could never have been born.--Judith Rabinor
Thank you so much (Laura Zinn Fromm). Your class opened so many doors for me. I had been moving my main character around according to plot lines, charts and maps. The poor guy was a slave to my directions. He didn't have a mind of his own. But now I see that action and plot evolve naturally and inevitably from emotions…what a no-brainer.--Fredric Winkowski
Tim Tomlinson is an extraordinary teacher of fiction writing--I studied with him in the early nineties and returned to his online courses a few years ago. He has an eagle eye for what works and what doesn't and offers practical, clear explanations. Many of his insights helped with my forthcoming memoir, Divorcing Mom (Cynren, 2019). His exercises were a real boon --a piece I wrote as homework was just accepted by Flash Fiction Magazine. His approach has helped me to make real headway with my novel, the first draft of which would have been nowhere near as coherent without Tim's input. He is simply the best teacher out there for fiction writers. I've taken fiction courses from several online sources and Tim's are the best.--Melissa Knox
Charles Salzberg’s writing classes made all the difference. After years of working on my book Concealed--Memoir of a Jewish-Iranian Daughter Caught Between the Chador and America, I felt stuck. Once I attended Charles' classes, my mind seemed to expand and the chapters flowed. Charles Salzberg’s feedback, critiques, and unwavering support enabled me to stay committed to the birth of my book. He’s exceptional — in a league of his own. -- Esther Amini
I am probably the longest-running student NYWW has ever had. I signed up for Advanced Nonfiction, taught by Charles Salzberg, 25 years ago and kept re-upping for the same workshop. No amount of thanks can express my gratitude for the help and support Charles has provided. Not only did he shepherd me through draft after draft of each chapter of my memoir, Losing the Atmosphere, but he created community. Charles nurtures writers of all ages, writing styles, and subjects. Through him, I have become part of a network of writers that extends well beyond the classroom. Thank you, NYWW, for having expanded my world not only as a writer, but as a person. --Vivian Conan
Working with Tim Tomlinson has been an invaluable learning experience. I have learned so much from his expertise, and gained immeasurably from his experience, enthusiasm and generosity. Tim has shown us not only how to perfect our work but also how to best present it to capture the audience’s attention. Our successes at the Adelaide Pitch Conference would have not been possible without Tim’s support and guidance. – Thu Hoang, Adelaide, South Australia
Tim Tomlinson of New York Writers Workshop will first win your trust with his light spirit and engaged presence. He listens, processes through his huge mental archive room of books and writers for the perfect reference and then delivers his direction with the precision of a master dart man’s bullseye not just towards what your MS needs, but what your soul needs to get the work done. The spirit of a true teacher and mentor lives in this man. – Popi Laudico, Manila, Philippines
I was lucky enough to be mentored by Tim Tomlinson at the recent New York Writers Workshop Pitch Conference at the South Australian Writers Centre in July 2015. I found Tim’s advice and critique of my pitch invaluable. His expertise in this field, his gentle humour, patience and insight allowed me to trust his advice straight away, to take it on board and to use it. The Pitch Conference gave me a deeper insight into the nature of writer-publisher interaction and allowed me to develop and practice my pitch to three top Australian publishers. I was challenged to view my novel in the context of marketing it to Australian publishers and book-buyers; an exercise which doesn’t come naturally to me, but which Tim somehow made fun. I also gained a much broader knowledge of who my local contemporaries are, and what they are writing. Writing is a solitary craft, and I got an enormous buzz out of spending three days with other writers, under the auspices of SAWC and NYWW. If you’re able to get to a Pitch Conference in your area, don’t hesitate – I thoroughly recommend it.– Rebecca Edwards, Adelaide, SA
He’s pure evil, that Tim Tomlinson! We read our pitches to him and it’s Cut, Cut! So we cut, and rewrite. Cut again, he urges. This goes on all weekend, but you know what? Under Tim’s guidance, as our pitches get shorter they get punchier, and we understand better what we’re selling to editors. 65% success rate can’t be bad. Trust him. He knows publishing. – Ruth Starke, Adelaide Pitch Conference, July 2015
Attending the New York Writers Workshop, facilitated by Tim and Deedle Tomlinson, jump-started and reinforced my passion to write. The Workshops were handled with care and support for a fledgling writer like myself. Tim is an erudite writer who does not tear your manuscripts to shreds; he works with participants through the humps and hiccups in the writing process. He is able to spot the strengths of your manuscript and guides you on how to make your writing better. – Rudi Tabora, Baguio, Philippines
Tim Tomlinson is a great mentor; he listens so well, he is sharp, he hones in straight away on the selling points of your story, he somehow manages to clarify what you are confused about by asking exactly the right questions! Then after a huge day of listening and commenting and shaping and structuring he offers for you to email him a reworked version of your pitch, that same night, ready for the publishers the next day! As a group we felt very supported through the whole process and came away with an enhanced appreciation of the core qualities of our own work. A very worthwhile experience, thank you Tim! – Jane Turner Goldsmith, Adelaide Pitch conference, July 2015
I attended a Writer’s Pitch workshop held here in Adelaide, Australia, in July 2015. I was fortunate to be put in a group of over a dozen aspiring writers led by Tim Tomlinson, of New York Writers Workshop. In retrospect, maybe only 1 or 2 of the group had a marketable pitch when we began. Then, 24 hours later we were pitching our books to senior editors from major publishing firms, with some success. I was extremely impressed by Tim’s ability to manage and improve so many disparate ideas (and understand our strange accents too!) having only flown into town. Tim is a consummate professional with a proven ability to add-value to your work. – Peter Ingman, Adelaide, South Australia
At the beginning of the Pitch Conference, we were merely humble writers with stories. But by the end, we’d transformed into passionate storytellers, able to speak about our work with the confidence and clarity that made the publishers want to know more. – Liana Skrzypczak, Adelaide, South Australia
I like the way Tim guides us to opening doors, then we see there’s lots on the other side to draw from. Very encouraging, makes you want to keep on writing. – Baboo Mondonedo, Baguio, Philippines
The New York Writers Workshop [at Ayala Museum] helped me create new work, just when I thought I had nothing more to squeeze out of myself at the time. Tim is an excellent teacher, and gives good feedback that gets your creative mind working again, and the bottomless coffee and the veggie sandwiches weren’t too bad either. – Yvette C. Carpio, Manila, Philippines