One-Day In-Person Workshop:
Trusting your creative Vision: The Roadmap From Idea to Paper.
With Adam Payne & Michael Stein
Harpers Ferry, WV

Saturday, July 18th 2026
9 AM - 5 PM

For emerging and seasoned writers ages 15-21. A real look inside what writing actually is: generating new work, editing with an editor, and publishing your work. Held on the banks of the Shenandoah River near Harpers Ferry, in partnership with YNST Magazine. $149 per writer · limited to 12 · lunch, snacks & materials included.

Adam Payne (he/him)

Adam Payne (he/him) is a multimedia storyteller who blends writing, visual narrative, design and performance in his work. He is the founder and editor-in-chief of YNST (You’re Not Seeing Things) Magazine, a grassroots media outlet amplifying Appalachia’s arts and culture. He leads media work for arts organizations across the region with clients like West Virginia Public Theatre, Wheeling Symphony Orchestra, Oglebay Institute and 100 Days in Appalachia [forthcoming]. He is a graduate of West Virginia University where he earned a MS in Digital Marketing Communications, BS in Journalism and BFA in Acting. Adam also serves as the media committee chair and a board member of The Friendlier City Project. Outside of media work, Adam enjoys traveling, pickleball, dinner parties and the perfect dirty chocolate chai.

Michael Stein (he/him)

Michael Stein (he/him) is the Creative Writing Editor and a general text editor for YNST (You’re Not Seeing Things) Magazine. He is also a poetry reader at The Massachusetts Review. His poetry has appeared in Sanctuary, DeepSouth Magazine, the Tuskegee Review, and Kakalak. Previously, Michael worked with the Rusoff Publishing Agency as an Editorial Consultant, and was Editor-in-Chief for Miscellany. Michael is a law student at Washington & Lee University and a graduate of the College of Charleston Honors College, where he earned his BA in English Literature. Outside of YNST, he loves to play classical piano, watch NBA basketball, and read Pat Conroy.

Ellen Weeren

Ellen Weeren’s work has been published by the Saturday Evening Post, the Kenyon Review (KRonline), Fractured Lit, Liars’ League NYC, the Hong Kong Review, Crack the Spine, Stonecoast Review, and others. She’s the recipient of the George Mason 2019 Outstanding Graduate Student Award (MFA Fiction), the Porches Writing Fellowship, the Marjorie Kinnear Sydor Award in Literary Citizenship, WV Writers Terry McNemar Scholarship, and the Kenyon Review’s Novel Writing Workshop Peter Taylor Fellowship. TripBase twice recognized her blog about living in India as one of the top 10 best travel blogs.

Ellen runs a writers retreat in Harpers Ferry, WV (areasontowrite.com). Her short story collection titled Love and Other Failures is forthcoming from Cornerstone Press. She lives in West Virginia with a reasonable number of cats and is working on a novel.

Format

This would be a real look inside what writing as a practice actually is including generating, submitting, editing, and participating in a writing community. For young people in this region who have the instinct but have never been shown the door. Capped at 12 participants.

Capped at 12 participants. Developed and led by two YNST instructors.

Proposed Schedule (9:00 AM – 5:00 PM)

Light breakfast and icebreaker to open
Session 1: How to Be a Workshop Participant
Session 2: Craft lessons, prompts, and generative writing
Lunch on site
Session 3: What submitting a story looks like
Session 4: What editing with an editor looks like
Closeout and next steps – maybe a reading if there is time

Location

The workshop space is located in the outskirts of Harpers Ferry.
Approximately one hour from Northern Virginia and 1 hour 15 minutes from Washington, DC.
Lodging is not provided

Transportation

Not included. Free parking is available onsite for those driving.

Payment

$149 Per Writer
Payment taken upon registration.

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be in writing (ellen.weeren@gmail.com)
Before July 1: 90% of registration fees refunded.
July 10th: 50% of registration fees refunded unless we successfully fill your spot from our waitlist with a writer who pays full price. If that happens, you’ll receive 75% of your registration fees as a refund.
After July 10th: Registration fees are non-refundable, unless we successfully fill your spot from our waitlist with a writer who pays full price. If that happens, you’ll receive 75% of your registration fees as a refund.

Apply for the In-Person Work Shop by Filling out the form below

Please be sure to read over the requirements (Requirements) before you apply. By applying, you are indicating that you agree to these terms.

Ellen will be in touch with more details regarding registration, and payment information. In the meantime, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Ellen at ellen.weeren@gmail.com

One-Day In-Person Workshop: Trusting your creative Vision: The Roadmap From Idea to Paper. With Adam Payne & Michael Stein Harpers Ferry, WV