Joost Baars Master Class Recording

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 TEACHERS Kaveh 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 SERIES Working 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 Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify

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 TEACHERS Ada 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 SERIES Working 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 Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify

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 Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify

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 TEACHERS Daniel 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 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 Daniel Kraus & International Writers’ Collective Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify

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

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

Poet and teacher Laura Wetherington gave a special online master class for us on 21 February 2021. You can listen to a recording of the first hour of the class below, or it is also available as a podcast from the services listed and from our own feed. The class focussed on craft in Laura’s latest poetry collection Parallel Resting Places, which won the 2020 New Measure Prize. Her debut collection, A Map Predetermined and Chance (Fence Books), was selected by C.S. Giscombe for the National Poetry Series. Her poems have been featured by Poem-A-Day, the Colorado Review, and The Normal School, among many others. Laura is a feature writer for the University of Arizona Poetry Center, a reviewer at Full Stop, and the poetry editor at Baobab Press and she teaches in Sierra Nevada University’s low-residency MFA program and with the Collective. The class was moderated by fellow poet Wende Crow, who also teaches with the Collective. Some of the topics covered included writing from a source text, using fake translations, the power of epistolary poems and confessionals, why “failed poems” are an important part of the process and much more. Parallel Resting Places was published by Parlor Press in 2021. You can get your copy direct from the publisher in paperback or PDF (the PDF is only $10 and is available for download immediately) or in paperback via the Book Depository, Bookshop (UK), Amazon (US), or Bol (NL)   Copyright © 2021 Laura Wetherington & International Writers’ Collective Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Irish writer Caoilinn Hughes, author of the novel Orchid & the Wasp and the award-winning poetry collection Gathering Evidence, gave a special master class for us on Sunday, 28 July 2019 at Boekhandel van Rossum in Amsterdam. You can listen to a recording of the class below, or it is also available as a podcast from the services listed and from our own feed. The class focused primarily on Hughes’s novel and dipped briefly into her poetry, as well as addressing issues of craft, process and publishing. Specific topics covered by Hughes in conversation with our instructor Karen Kao included: figuring out form, why short stories are a good way to learn, crafting a complex female protagonist, writing in the past tense versus writing in the present, how publishing can kind of mess with your head and how to protect yourself, how to get yourself to sit down and write even when you don’t feel like it or you have limited time, and much more. Hughes holds a PhD in English Literature from Victoria University, New Zealand and a masters in 20th Century Irish Theatre and Culture from Queens University in Belfast. Anthony Doerr described Orchid & the Wasp as a “gorgeous novel told in an onrush of wit and ferocity” while the Irish Times places Hughes in the vanguard of new Irish fiction. Her debut poetry collection, Gathering Evidence, won the 2015 Irish Times Shine/Strong Award and the Patrick Kavanagh Poetry Award. Her stories have won a Moth International Short Story Prize and an O.Henry Prize. Orchid & the Wasp was published by Penguin Random House in the US and Oneworld in the UK. Gathering Evidence was published in 2014 by Carcanet Press. You can get your copy from most major book retailers or direct from the publisher.   Copyright © 2019 Caoilinn Hughes & International Writers’ Collective Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Poet Joost Baars gave a special master class for us on Sunday, 26 August at Boekhandel van Rossum in Amsterdam. You can listen to a recording of the talk below or it is also available as a podcast from various services and from our own feed. Baars’s debut collection Binnenplaats (translated “Enclosure”) was awarded the 2018 VSB Poetry Prize, the world’s largest Dutch-language poetry prize. The jury praised his depth, mastery and unique sound. It was only the second time in the Prize’s 24-year history that a debut collection won. Baars was also a finalist for this year’s C. Buddingh’ Prize and the Herman de Coninck Prize. His poetry has been described as hallucinatory and mystical. We looked at a number of poems from his award-winning collection that have been beautifully translated into English by Astrid Albens (available on the Poetry International website). We also discussed the art of the line-break, poetry in translation, how you know when a poem has promise, why thinking about your reader isn’t always helpful, getting unstuck and more. Copyright © 2018 Joost Baars & International Writers’ Collective Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify | Stitcher

American author Karen Kao gave a special Master Class for members of the International Writers’ Collective on 22 July 2018 at Boekhandel van Rossum in Amsterdam. You can listen to a recording of the talk below or it is also available as a podcast from various services and from our own feed. Kao is the author of The Dancing Girl and the Turtle and will be joining our faculty from the autumn 2018 term. The class covered craft in the novel as well as Kao’s process and advice for writers. We looked at specific techniques in Kao’s shocking opening scene, research and the challenges of writing historical fiction, how to tackle violent material, deciding who gets a voice in your story and juggling multiple points of view, creating a multi-book arc, revision, finding a publisher, what it’s like to quit your job to write full-time, and more In her own blog Kao homes in on two aspects of that class: the use of violence and historical fact in fiction. Read up on it there. Copyright © 2018 Karen Kao & International Writers’ Collective Subscribe: Overcast | iTunes | Anchor.FM | Google Play | Player.FM | PocketCasts | Spotify | Stitcher