What Are the Instructors Like at The Writers Circle?
All instructors at The Writers Circle are published authors, hand-picked for their ability to encourage and support writers at every stage and age. That combination—published credentials plus a deliberate selection for teaching temperament—is the core of what the organization says about its faculty. The teaching style blends creativity, fun, encouragement, and gentle critique, with the stated goal of boosting confidence in even the most reluctant writer while guiding more advanced writers toward completion, polish, and publication.
What the site says about instructor qualifications
Two claims define the faculty profile:
- Published authors. Every instructor has publication experience, which matters if you want feedback grounded in the realities of finishing and submitting work rather than only classroom theory.
- Hand-picked for encouragement and support. The site emphasizes that instructors are chosen specifically for their ability to work with new and experienced writers across a wide age range—students from ages 8 to over 80, according to the organization's description.
The pairing is notable: many writing programs have either accomplished authors who teach occasionally or supportive teachers without publication records. The Writers Circle positions its instructors as both.
What the teaching style looks like in practice
The organization describes its approach as a "unique blend of creativity, fun, encouragement, and gentle critique." Breaking that down:
| Element | What it suggests for a student |
|---|---|
| Creativity and fun | Sessions are designed to keep writing enjoyable, not just rigorous |
| Encouragement | Feedback is framed to build confidence, especially for hesitant writers |
| Gentle critique | Criticism is delivered constructively rather than bluntly |
| Progression | Advanced writers are guided toward completion, polish, and publication |
This matters most if you are someone who has been intimidated by writing classes before, or if you are returning to writing after a long break. The "gentle critique" framing signals that the workshop environment is meant to be low-threat. If you are looking for a harsh, competitive MFA-style workshop, this is a different model.
Who the instructors are designed to teach
The stated range runs from age 8 to over 80, in suburban New Jersey and online. That breadth shapes what instructors need to be good at:
- Young writers (ages 8+). The organization runs WordSMASH mini-camps for kids and Summer Creative Writing Intensives for teens, so some instructors work specifically with younger students.
- Adults at any stage. Workshops cover fiction, novel writing, memoir, poetry, and more, meaning instructors are matched to genres rather than teaching everything generically.
- Reluctant and advanced writers alike. The site explicitly names both ends: boosting confidence for the "post reluctant writer" and guiding more advanced writers toward publication goals.
How to judge fit before you register
Because the site does not publish individual instructor biographies in the material available here, the practical way to assess fit is:
- Check the specific workshop listing. Instructors are matched to genres (fiction, novel, memoir, poetry), so the instructor for your genre is the relevant one.
- Look at the format. Workshops, special events with guest speakers, private book coaching, and editing are separate offerings—each may involve different instructors.
- Consider the stated philosophy. If encouragement-based, gentle critique is what you need to keep writing, the faculty selection criteria align with that. If you want aggressive line-editing and market-focused critique, ask directly whether a given instructor's workshop provides it.
The organization has been teaching since 2010, and its instructor model—published authors selected for supportive teaching—has been consistent across that period. For a writer who wants credible feedback without a discouraging environment, that is the central thing to evaluate.