Pop-Up Writing Workshop
February 10 & March 3, 2026
3:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Free to Attend & Open to All!
Discover the powerful stories hidden inside your photographs in this intimate, two-part, in-person writing workshop with Artist-in-Residence Chris Marcotte. Finding Your Story invites participants to explore memory, imagination, and craft as they write a memoir or short story inspired by a personal photo from any time period.
Designed for writers of all experience levels, this workshop offers guided exercises, individualized feedback, and a supportive community in which to draft, revise, and share a complete piece of writing. The small group setting allows for thoughtful discussion and one-on-one constructive feedback—making this a rich and rewarding experience for every participant.
Participants will leave with a polished memoir or short story (500–1500 words) and a deeper understanding of how images can unlock meaningful narratives. For inspiration, the facilitator will also share a recently selected short story written from a photograph and published in an online anthology.
This workshop is FREE and open to ages 12–92.
Space is very limited (6 participants) to ensure personalized attention.
Workshop Structure & Goals
Goal: Using personal photographs, participants will draft, revise, and share a memoir or short story with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Session One – Tuesday, February 10, 2026
- Guided writing exercises and prewriting activities
- Participants bring one photograph (from any time period) to inspire their writing
Between Sessions
- Participants draft a 500–1500 word memoir or short story
- Drafts are submitted to the facilitator for individualized, helpful feedback (Feb 14–21)
- Writers revise and polish their piece in preparation for sharing
Session Two – Tuesday, March 3, 2026
- Brief discussion on the value of positive feedback
- Participants share their work aloud
- Each writer receives written, positive feedback from the group
Event Details:
✍️ Pop-Up Writing Workshop
📅 Tuesday, February 10 & Tuesday, March 3, 2026
🕙 3:30 – 5:00 PM
📍 New York Mills Library – Meeting Room
🎟️ Free & Open to All; Registration Required!
To register, click below to complete the form or call the Center at 218-385-3339.
Register for Writing Workshop with Chris Marcotte
About Chris Marcotte
Chris Marcotte has visited New York Mills many times as a visiting artist. She writes historical fiction and nonfiction, a passion she discovered after retirement while exploring stories from her grandmother’s family. A lifelong love of history naturally became her niche.
In 2014, she created Reminisce, a weekly newspaper column that ran in the Western Itasca Review until its closure in 2018. The Grand Rapids Herald-Review revived the column in 2019, where she continues to write the bi-monthly column. Reminisce focuses on the people, places, and events of Itasca County between 1890 and 1930. Years of research into the murder of her third great-grandfather, William Thomas Boxell, led her to pursue creative writing. In 2019, she completed her first historical novel, What Amelia Knows, based on that case.
She lives on a small lake near Deer River, Minnesota, with her husband, a dog, and a cat, and enjoys woodland walks with her grandson, gardening, and reflecting on the wonders of everyday life.
👉 Questions? Contact the Center at 218-385-3339 or email info@kulcher.org.
