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International Writers' Collective episodes
- Kaveh Akbar on Learning to Write a Novel
In this master class, award-winning poet Kaveh Akbar shares lessons from writing his first novel, Martyr!, and what he’s learned from working across poetry and fiction.
Some of the topics discussed include:
- Finding a novel’s structure through revision
- Learning to write scenes and sustain a narrative
- Drawing on the techniques of poetry when writing fiction
- Reading across genres, cultures, and literary traditions
- Developing habits that help you avoid writer’s block
Warm, funny, and brimming with Kaveh’s infectious enthusiasm, this conversation offers practical wisdom for poets and fiction writers alike—especially those looking to deepen their craft or find the confidence to try something new.
Adapted from the International Writers’ Collective master class given in Amsterdam, 3 May, 2026.
The International Writers’ Collective offers 8-week creative writing courses in Amsterdam, The Hague, and online. Learn more about our programme.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERSKaveh Akbar is the author of the bestselling novel Martyr! and three acclaimed poetry collections, including Calling a Wolf a Wolf and Pilgrim Bell. He’s the recipient of multiple Pushcart Prizes, a Levis Reading Prize, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. He serves as director of the undergraduate creative writing program at the University of Iowa and poetry editor of The Nation.
Sarah Carriger is director of the International Writers’ Collective. She writes poetry and fiction, and her poems have appeared in Gulf Coast, Post Road, and The Pinch among other journals. She has taught creative writing since 2011.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASSES SERIESWorking writers — craft-focused, interview-led, with room for real questions. Past guests include Lauren Groff, A.M. Homes, Kristen Roupenian, and Daniel Kraus. Browse the full archive here.
Copyright © 2026 Kaveh Akbar & International Writers’ Collective
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1 hr 1 min - Ada Limón Master Class
Ada Limón — former U.S. Poet Laureate and one of the most celebrated poets writing in America today — sits down with IWC Director Sarah Carriger to talk about what she’s learned in her over 20-year career.
Drawing on her book Startlement, which features new poems alongside work from her previous six collections, Limón speaks about her approach to craft, her process, and how she keeps making art when the world feels like it’s on fire.
In this episode, she shares insights on:
- Revision and what she’s learned from looking back at her early work
- Assembling a collection and writing toward what’s missing
- Line breaks, musicality, and the prose poem
- Writing through grief, anger, and global upheaval
- Protecting your creative space
- The daily practices that have sustained her writing life for decades
Warm, honest, and genuinely encouraging, this is the kind of conversation that makes you want to rush straight to your desk and start writing.
Recorded live in Amsterdam on International Women’s Day, 8 March 2026.
The International Writers’ Collective offers 8-week creative writing courses in Amsterdam, The Hague, and online. Learn more about our programme.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERSAda Limón served as the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States (2022–2025). She is the author of seven collections, including The Carrying (National Book Critics Circle Award) and Bright Dead Things (finalist for the National Book Award). While Laureate, she edited the bestselling anthology You Are Here: Poetry in the Natural World.
Sarah Carriger writes poetry and fiction and teaches advanced fiction courses at the International Writers’ Collective. She holds BA and MA degrees in English Literature from Stanford University, and her poems have appeared in Gulf Coast, Post Road, and The Pinch.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASSES SERIESWorking writers — craft-focused, interview-led, with room for real questions. Past guests include Lauren Groff, A.M. Homes, Kristen Roupenian, and Daniel Kraus. Browse the full archive here.
Copyright © 2026 Ada Limón & International Writers’ Collective
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57 min - Elisabeth Dini Master Class Recording
In this master class, IWC teacher Elisabeth Dini talks craft, process, and the realities of publishing—centred on her debut novel Bearer of Bad News, published by Simon & Schuster.
The novel follows Lucy Rey, a down-on-her-luck hairdresser who accepts an unusual job delivering a confidential message in exchange for a much-needed payout. The assignment takes her to the Italian Dolomites, where she becomes entangled in decades-old secrets involving a missing woman, a vanished emerald necklace, and a family history she never expected to confront.
Publishers Weekly called Bearer of Bad News “wickedly entertaining” and Booklist praised its deft blend of humor, intergenerational tensions, and cinematic plotting. Witty and propulsive, with a surprising emotional heart, it has drawn comparisons to Where’d You Go, Bernadette and The Maid.
In conversation with fellow IWC teacher Jennifer van der Kwast, Elisabeth reflects on the challenges of writing a novel that straddles genres, her attempt to become a “plotter” when at heart she’s a “pantser”, her approach to research and historical accuracy, and how she kept writing even after her first novel failed to find a publisher. She also shares tips on querying and the one piece of advice she’d give to her younger writing self.
The class was recorded live in Amsterdam on 8 February 2026 and you’ll find some photos from the event in our Photo Gallery.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERS
Elisabeth Dini is an Italian-American writer living in The Hague. A lawyer by training, she previously worked as a Trial Lawyer at the International Criminal Court, which first brought her to the Netherlands. Through the International Writers’ Collective, she teaches writing courses in The Hague, where she is hard at work on her next novel.
Jennifer van der Kwast teaches Level II courses with the International Writers’ Collective. Her debut novel, Pounding the Pavement, was published by Doubleday in 2005. Before moving to the Netherlands in 2011, she lived in New York City, where she worked for the Harold Ober Literary Agency. Her travel writing and personal essays have appeared in New York Magazine, Time Out Amsterdam, and the Washington Post. Her first crime thriller, Kill Story, will be published by Canelo Crime/Penguin Random House in September 2026.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASS SERIES
In this series, working writers talk tips, tricks and techniques with a focus on a single novel or collection. The classes are conducted in an interview format with plenty of room for questions. Check out our podcast archive to listen to recordings of previous Master Classes with writers such as A.M. Homes, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction; Kristen Roupenian, author of the viral short story “Cat Person”; Jennifer Clement, then PEN International president; and Lauren Groff, the author of Barack Obama’s favourite book of 2015.
Copyright © 2026 Elisabeth Dini & International Writers’ Collective
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58 min - Daniel Kraus Master Class Recording
In this master class, New York Times-bestselling author Daniel Kraus shares craft insights and unusually candid career advice in conversation with IWC instructor Joy Florentine.
The author of more than 30 novels, Kraus has built an enviable cross-media career spanning books, film, and television. His collaborations with Guillermo del Toro produced The Shape of Water—the novelization of the Oscar-winning film—and Trollhunters, adapted into the Emmy-winning Netflix series. He moves fluidly among genres—horror, YA fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction—and his books regularly earn major awards and appear on “best of” lists. His historical novel Angel Down topped The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of 2025.
Recorded live in Amsterdam on 1 November 2025, this class offers an inside look at how Kraus developed Pay the Piper, a supernatural horror novel based on an unfinished manuscript by legendary filmmaker George A. Romero. But the conversation ranges far beyond horror. Topics include:
- How to craft a truly gripping novel—regardless of genre
- Why research is central to his process, and why he chooses not to use AI
- His strategies for avoiding writer’s block
- Why he doesn’t invest time in building a social-media following—and what he does instead
- The essential lessons he learned from writing his first ten books that made a successful, long-term career possible
For anyone striving to shape a sustainable, creatively fulfilling writing life, this conversation is a reminder of what’s possible.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERSDaniel Kraus is a New York Times bestselling author whose work spans novels, film, and television. He has received the Bram Stoker Award, the Alex Award, the Scribe Award, and two Odyssey Awards, and his fiction has been recognized multiple times by the Library Guild and the Young Adult Library Services Association. His recent novel Whalefall was named a Best Book of 2023 by NPR, The New York Times, Amazon, and the Chicago Tribune. His YA novels The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch—named one of Entertainment Weekly’s Top 10 Books of the Year—Rotters, and Scowler cemented his reputation as a YA author with strong crossover appeal. His work has been translated into more than twenty languages. He lives in Chicago with his wife.
Joy Florentine was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. She writes (dark) fantasy and horror. Her stories have appeared in The Sirens Call, the Children of the Dead Anthology (Wicked Shadow Press), Literally Stories, and Flash Phantoms. Her most recent psychological short story, “In My Mirror,” appeared in the Halloween Edition of Rawhead Magazine. Joy teaches creative writing at the International Writers’ Collective.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASS SERIESIn this series, working writers talk tips, tricks and techniques with a focus on a single novel or collection. The classes are conducted in an interview format with plenty of room for questions. Check out our podcast archive to listen to recordings of previous Master Classes with writers such as A.M. Homes, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction; Kristen Roupenian, author of the viral short story “Cat Person”; Jennifer Clement, then PEN International president; and Lauren Groff, the author of Barack Obama’s favourite book of 2015.
Copyright © 2025 Daniel Kraus & International Writers’ Collective
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1 hr - Tammy Lai-Ming Ho Master Class Recording
In this master class, Hong Kong-born poet Tammy Lai-Ming Ho shares craft and publishing insights in conversation with Michelle Lin – IWC teacher and assistant poetry editor at Narrative Magazine.
The class focuses on If I Do Not Reply, Tammy’s third poetry collection and her first published in the UK. Written between 2019 and 2022, these poems bear witness to life in and out of Hong Kong during a period of political upheaval and the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, they explore universal questions, such as the role of art in society and the complexities of identity, language, and belonging.
Tammy’s poetry has been nominated for multiple Pushcart Prizes, the Forward Prize, and the Best of the Net Anthology. She is also an accomplished translator, author of short fiction, and editor. She currently serves as editor-in-chief of Cha: An Asian Literary Journal and as an editor of Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine.
Recorded live in Amsterdam on 5 July 2025, this master class explores topics such as:
- Finding inspiration and “stocking the well”
- Writing about current events and big themes
- Choosing a verse form
- Assembling and publishing a collection.
Michelle and Tammy also consider the submissions process from an editor’s perspective–offering insights for writers navigating the submission trenches.
It’s a reflective and inspiring conversation on poetry, creativity, and the role of the writer in uncertain times.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERS
Tammy Lai-Ming Ho’s first poetry collection, Hula Hooping (Chameleon, 2015), won the Young Artist Award in Literary Arts presented by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council. In 2018, she published her first short story collection Her Name Upon the Strand (Delere Press), her second poetry collection Too Too Too Too (Math Paper Press), and the chapbook An Extraterrestrial in Hong Kong (Musical Stone). She is also the author of the academic book Neo-Victorian Cannibalism (Palgrave, 2019). In addition to her writing and work as a journal editor, she has edited or co-edited several literary collections, and her literary translations have appeared in World Literature Today, Chinese Literature Today, Pathlight: New Chinese Writing, among other publications. She is a former tenured professor of English literature and a Fellow of the International Writing Program (IWP) at the University of Iowa.
Michelle Lin is an American writer based in Amsterdam and an assistant poetry editor at Narrative Magazine. Before rediscovering her creative writing muscle, Michelle spent years writing articles and white papers on the global energy industry and the outlook for sustainable systems. In her more personal work, Michelle often writes about memory, identity, food, and the occasional obsession with canyons. Her poetry and essays have appeared in journals including Beyond Words, Cleaver, Corvus Review, Panorama, and The Closed Eye Open. She joined the IWC faculty in spring ’24.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASS SERIES
In this series, working writers talk tips, tricks and techniques with a focus on a single novel or collection. The classes are conducted in an interview format with plenty of room for questions. Check out our podcast archive to listen to recordings of previous Master Classes with writers such as A.M. Homes, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction; Kristen Roupenian, author of the viral short story “Cat Person”; Jennifer Clement, then PEN International president; and Lauren Groff, the author of Barack Obama’s favourite book of 2015.
Copyright © 2025 Tammy Lai-Ming Ho & International Writers’ Collective
Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify
53 min - Allison Amend Master Class Recording
In this master class, recorded in Amsterdam on 24 May 2025, award-winning author Allison Amend shares lessons from writing and publishing her novel Enchanted Islands.
Inspired by a true story, Enchanted Islands follows the unlikely life of Frances Frankowski–from her Midwestern childhood as the daughter of Polish immigrants, to a covert World War II mission in the Galápagos, to her final years in a California retirement home. It’s a sweeping tale of espionage, friendship, and longing, told with insight and humor.
Allison is the author of four books, including Stations West, A Nearly Perfect Copy, and the award-winning story collection Things That Pass for Love. A graduate of Stanford and the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, she brings years of experience as a writer, teacher, and editor.
Topics covered include:
- How to write a novel based on a real person
- Researching without getting lost in the weeds
- Strategies for writing across large spans of time
- Balancing plot with emotional depth
- Making a book a page-turner–even when the reader knows how it ends
- Navigating different kinds of publishers–from indie and university presses to the Big Five
Whether you’re working on your first novel or your fifth, this episode offers thoughtful insights and plenty of inspiration.
This master class was moderated by IWC director, Sarah Carriger.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERS
Allison Amend was born in Chicago, Illinois. A graduate of Stanford University and the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, she is the author of the award-winning short story collection Things That Pass for Love and the novels A Nearly Perfect Copy and Stations West, which was a finalist for the 2011 Sami Rohr Prize for Jewish Literature and the Oklahoma Book Award. Her most recent novel Enchanted Islands was longlisted for the International Dublin Award. Allison teaches creative writing at Lehman College in New York City and at the Red Earth MFA program at Oklahoma City University.
Sarah Carriger has taught creative writing since 2011. She directs the International Writers’ Collective and teaches Level IV courses. A Stanford graduate with degrees in English Literature, she writes fiction and poetry, with work in Gulf Coast, Post Road, The Pinch, X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine and others. Her fiction has been shortlisted for the Barthelme Prize and longlisted for Smokelong Quarterly’s Grand Micro Contest.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASS SERIES
In this series, working writers talk tips, tricks and techniques with a focus on a single novel or collection. The classes are conducted in an interview format with plenty of room for questions. Check out our podcast archive to listen to recordings of previous Master Classes with writers such as A.M. Homes, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction; Kristen Roupenian, author of the viral short story “Cat Person”; Jennifer Clement, then PEN International president; and Lauren Groff, the author of Barack Obama’s favourite book of 2015.
Copyright © 2025 Allison Amend & International Writers’ Collective
Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify
1 hr - Alison Edwards Master Class Recording
Australian novelist Alison Edwards gave a master class for us on 8 February 2025 in Amsterdam. The class focussed on her debut novel Two Daughters (Atlantic Books Australia, 2024), the story of two young women from very different backgrounds and opposite sides of the world whose lives intersect in a way neither could have predicted.
Alison began her fiction writing journey with the Collective and large portions of Two Daughters were workshopped in our courses.
She spoke with IWC instructor Jennifer van der Kwast about:
- the ins and outs of writing your first novel—from building your skills to finding the time and the motivation to keep going,
- the challenges of writing in dual perspectives,
- tips on getting a literary agent,
- lessons from working with an editor, and
- what she wishes she had done differently in hindsight.
ABOUT THESE TEACHERS
Alison Edwards was born and raised on the south coast of New South Wales. She studied journalism and international studies before obtaining a PhD in linguistics at the University of Cambridge. She is now based with her family in Amsterdam, where she works as a translator, editor and sometime academic. She took her first Level I course with the IWC in 2017, worked her way through the levels, and began sharing what would become Two Daughters in our Level III & IV workshops from 2021.
Jennifer van der Kwast teaches Level II courses with the IWC. Her novel, Pounding the Pavement, was published by Doubleday in 2005. Prior to moving to the Netherlands in 2011, Jennifer lived in New York City where she worked for the Harold Ober Literary Agency. Jennifer’s travel articles and personal essays have appeared in New York Magazine, Time Out Amsterdam, and the Washington Post.
ABOUT OUR MASTER CLASS SERIES
In this series, working writers talk tips, tricks and techniques with a focus on a single novel or collection. The classes are conducted in an interview format with plenty of room for questions. Check out our podcast archive to listen to recordings of previous Master Classes with writers such as A.M. Homes, winner of the Women’s Prize for Fiction; Kristen Roupenian, author of the viral short story “Cat Person”; Jennifer Clement, then PEN International president; and Lauren Groff, the author of Barack Obama’s favourite book of 2015.
Copyright © 2025 Alison Edwards & International Writers’ Collective
Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify
58 min - Michael Donkor Master Class RecordingBritish author Michael Donkor speaks about his latest novel, Grow Where They Fall, and the advantages of close third-person narrators, managing dual timelines, staying motivated, and more57 min
- Ellen Keith Master Class RecordingBest-selling author and IWC instructor, Ellen Keith speaks about her latest novel The Dutch Orphan and shares insights on researching a historical novel, working with multiple POVs, outlining, and giving characters purpose57 min
- Lola Shoneyin Master Class RecordingNigerian author Lola Shoneyin speaks with IWC teacher Karen Kao about her award-winning novel, The Secret Lives of Baba Segi’s Wives, which is soon to be a Netflix series. They cover using multiple points of view, tackling social issues, enriching dramatic scenes with humour, Lola's best advice for aspiring writers and more.59 min
About International Writers' Collective
From the publisher's feed
Master classes and interviews with writers & poets. The International Writers' Collective is an Amsterdam-based learning community. We offer creative writing courses locally and online.
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